Something About Katie
by Allie-Marina
Summary: How Oliver thinks: Quidditch, Quidditch, Quidditch, Katie, Quidditch...Oliver's POV-7th year. Companion to
1. Thank You, Professor Snape

A/N: Hey, I got such an awesome awesome response for Riding the Line, that I thought it would be cool to start a story coinciding with that one! Like the other one, this is a POV story, from Oliver's head.  
  
Disclaimer: me no jk rowling!!!  
  
  
  
"I really don't understand all the fuss, Ollie. It's a messy sport that makes you all sweaty and muddy," Alisa whined at me. Then she tripped on her high heel shoes and grabbed on to my arm for support, consequently digging her fake nails into my arm. "Girls definetly should not play."  
  
It was getting extremely annoying listening to her, or rather pretending to listen to her like I cared.  
  
"I just don't like Quidditch," she continued. I rolled my eyes up into my head and started walking faster through the dungeons to Potions. Even that was better than this.  
  
I walked in and Alisa dragged me into the seat next to her and applied what must have been a tenth coat of lipstick to her lips. I wasn't very much liking the idea of kissing those things now.  
  
Professor swept into the room quickly startling Alisa who dropped the cap of her lipstick.  
  
She pointed to the ground. "Pick it up!" she mouthed at me.  
  
I sighed, but obeyed her anyway. I bent down under the desk and nearly was kicked in the head by Alisa's bobbing foot. I found the stupid little pink cap and picked my head up to climb out from under the desk.  
  
"Crap! Ow!" I exclaimed. I bumped my head very hard trying to get back into my seat.  
  
"Mr. Wood, what are you doing?" Professor Snape asked harshly, turning around.  
  
"Nothing," I said rubbing my head.  
  
"Don't lie, Mr. Wood," he glowered at me.  
  
"But Professor, I didn't do it!" I tried protesting. Snape is a gormless oik, in my opinion.  
  
"Wood, get up to the front of the class before you cause any more accidents with Mrs. Roumeur" Professor Snape said, with a wicked smile on his pale sallow face. "And twenty points from Gryffindor."   
  
Angrily, I dragged my things up to the empty desk up front.  
  
I sat up front very bored and alone, but thankfully away from Alisa. Who happened to be my girlfriend.  
  
When class finally started settling down, there was a loud bang at the back of the room and a girl raced in. I recognized her as a Quidditch team mate, Katie Bell.  
  
"Ms. Bell, class began ten minutes ago." Professor sneered, holding his wand.  
  
Katie stopped to catch her breath. "I'm sorry Professor!" She exclaimed. "My alarm clock didn't go off this morning, I'm really sorry!"  
  
  
  
"No excuses. "Sit down, Ms. Bell." Snape hissed. "You're ten minutes late. That makes ten points off Gryffindor." Snape said turning on his heel back to the black board, smiling that he had the opportunity to take thirty points of off Gryffindor already.  
  
Katie shot a look at Alicia Spinnet, who looked at the ceiling as if it were the most interesting thing she had ever seen, trying not to laugh. I almost laughed myself.  
  
Katie was still standing frowning after Snape, looking for her seat. Marcus Flint was sitting next to the empty seat that had always been hers. He nodded to her and she looked horrified. I don't blame her. He's the enemy!  
  
She quickly plopped in the seat next to me, completely deflating Flint, and gave me a look out of the corner of her brown eye. "Sorry," she mouthed. She crossed her arms and stared directly forward.   
  
Katie looked different today. She was a little pink in the face from her run from the seventh floor down to the dungeons. Her color brought out the small amount of freckles she had on her cheeks. I noticed that her hair was not in the usual pony tail or braid but it was long and cascaded down her shoulders in smooth waves, and her fringe (bangs) fell neatly on her forehead.  
  
I swallowed hard and tried to pay attention to the formula Snape was writing on the board, realizing what I was doing. I kept glancing at Katie out of the corner of my eye.  
  
I guess I was a little too obvious, as she turned to me gave me that evil look. Boy, if looks could kill. But this look was accompanied by her mouthing "what?" at me.  
  
I shrugged and turned back to the bored. Suddenly Katie turned around and glared at Alicia who tried to keep a straight face.  
  
She turned back and her long brown hair brushed my face as she flipped it off her face, turning back to the front of the room and I caught a whiff of her coconut shampoo.  
  
Crap, I thought, if Alisa finds out she is going to shred me into little bits by walking on me with those high heels of hers, because I thought that Katie looked...well...pretty.  
  
Alisa was pretty, too...If you like a girl that layers her face with make- up so that you have no idea what her real face looks like, I thought. I laughed at my little remark to myself.  
  
Katie looked at me all wierd, obviously thinking I had lost it. I'd have to lose it, to go out with Alisa. I chuckled to myself again, imagining myself slapping the little voice in my head.  
  
Katie whipped her head sharply in my direction with a face that clearly said "Do you mind?"  
  
When did she get so rude? She wasn't always like that, I remembered.  
  
Snape handed back the potions papers we did nights back. I couldn't believe it, full marks! "I just threw some things on a paper and handed it in!" I exclaimed to no one. "I can't believe this! I did nothing!"  
  
Katie gave me the look again, this time worse. Even when she was frowning she looked cute.  
  
She turned away from me, writing something down and a few strands of wavy hair fell into her face, and I really wanted to tuck it back behind her ear.  
  
Ignoring my urge,I turned around and showed the grade to Alisa who leaned over and gave me a lipsticky kiss on the cheek. It was like glue, her lipstick. I was glad the little lip smudge was on the side of my face that Katie couldn't see.  
  
The bell rang and Katie dissappeared and soon enough Alisa was clinging to my arm.  
  
I dropped Alisa off at the Hufflepuff table and proceded to the Gryffindor table, where the twin Weasley's were.  
  
"Oi, Oliver!" called Fred, or George... I wasn't very sure which. But it didn't really matter because I always called one of thier names, and one of them would always answer.  
  
"Wealeys," I nodded to them and took a seat. "Ready for some pre-season practice?" I asked excitedly.  
  
"Whoopee" said Fred, or George.  
  
I was about to say something when Alicia, Percy and Katie walked behind the twins. Katie still had her hair down, im little seperate curls. Yes, she looked very pretty.  
  
"Earth to Oliver, oi, what are you spacing for," asked one of the twins, possibly Fred, waving a hand it front of my face.  
  
I stuffed my mouth full of potatoes so they wouldn't hear me. "Katie," I said, trying to sound as jumbled as possible.  
  
"What about her?" said George.  
  
I cleared my throat. "She looks very nice today," I said. Fred who was drinking some orange juice nearly choked on it, and I dodged out of the way of the line of Orange Juice he was now coughing out.  
  
"Where have you BEEN, Oliver, honestly," said Fred, like I was extremely stupid.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked defensively. I was obviously NOT stupid, as I got top marks on my Potions essay!  
  
"She looks good EVERYDAY!" said George.  
  
"But you've been too wrapped up in Quidditch and having fun with Alisa to notice, right?" said Fred.  
  
OK, now I felt stupid. "Alisa is my girlfriend, you guys..." I said matter or factly.  
  
"Who you love SOO much," said George sarcastically.  
  
They were being such prats! "Wait 'till you get a girlfriend, eh?" I said to them.  
  
"Eh? Eh?" the twins taunted me. God forsaken accent always had to be my downfall.  
  
"Sod off..." I said stabbing the piece of chicken on my plate.  
  
But Fred wanted to taunt me more. "Dump Alisa and you can have Katie!"  
  
I shot him a look hoping to convey the message that he was skating on thin ice and he backed off.  
  
"See you at practice," I said getting up from the table.  
  
Muggle Studies went by quickly and it was time for my favorite part of the day, Quidditch practice.  
  
Awesome practice! I was blocking shots left and right. Katie seemed extremely brassed off at me. Then I realized that I didn't let one of her shots through, which surprised me, because she was easily the best chaser. But then again, they all looked the same on a broom with pony tails up.  
  
Maybe I ought to let her feel like she had some dignity left and let her score one? I smirked thinking to myself. She saw this and glared at me. Or maybe I wouldn't let her score.  
  
I did try to dive for the Quaffle but I missed it. I snapped sarcastically. "Nice Job, Bell! I knew it was coming!"  
  
She retorted harshly. "Yeah, you did! There's more if you like."  
  
I thought of taking her up on her offer, but I thought I would spare her the humiliation. "No, that's quite alright. I think that's all for today." I turned around to yell at the twins, "Bring it in guys!"  
  
When we all landed I told them, "That's all we have time for."  
  
I looked at them all, but I seemed to be noticing things about Katie a lot more than I had been. She had small trickle of sweat running down the side of her face. Alisa would have freaked, and the thought made me smile, as I looked at Katie. Katie took in a deep breath and stared blankly back at me.  
  
We all walked back to the locker rooms. Angelina, and Alicia were walking together, "fencing" with their brooms as foils, which I HIGHLY disapproved of. Gred and Forge were sandwhiching Katie on either side of them. She was laughing her head off, and I wanted to be a part of all the fun.  
  
Next to me Harry seemed disturbed as usual, but I decided not to ask, because it probably had to do with you-know-who.  
  
I took a very quick shower and threw some clothes on. The team cleared out and I took out my Quidditch Practice Journal.  
  
Oliver -EXCELLENT  
  
Harry - best he's ever been!  
  
Fred and George- who can tell the difference?  
  
Alicia - BETTER BROOM CARE - no fencing  
  
Angelina - same as Alicia  
  
Katie- VERY CUTE  
  
I read over my notes and noticed what I had written under Katie's name. Being cute had absolutely NOTHING to do with Quidditch. What am I thinking?  
  
I heard a shuffling and I picked my head up to see Katie sitting on the bench across from me in a very lazy position. Her legs were sprawled out in front of her and she was wearing baggy sweat pants and a t-shirt that fitted nicely. It said "Canon Fans" on it. Her hair was wet and lying on her shoulders, soaking the yellow t-shirt in places.  
  
I decided it would be better if she didn't see what I wrote about her in the journal so I closed it and looked up at her. She was staring blankly back at me.  
  
I cocked my head to the side and smiled at her. She smiled back, probably thinking 'Your such a dork'. But I got a smile out of her didn't I? She had a really cute smile, that made her look as sweet as little girl.  
  
"Katie," I said.  
  
"Wood," she answered lazily.  
  
Maybe we could actually have a civilized conversation? Let's try; "That was some practice today, uh?"  
  
"Really just spiffing..." she muttered. I didn't know what she was so crabby about.  
  
"It was just a practice, Kate. Don't worry about it," I told her trying to reassure her that she wasn't a horrible player.  
  
"Yeah. Right, Wood. Sure, just a practice..." she muttered staring at her bare feet.  
  
Now, I hadn't spoken to Katie in a long time but I would bet twenty galleons that she wasn't always this down. "Is something bothering you?" I asked her.  
  
She looked up at me and her eyes widened, and for a second there I thought she was going to open up to me. I was starting to become very interesting in the inner workings of Katie Bell.  
  
She frowned again and crossed her arms. "Well, your sharp aren't you?" she said in a scathing tone. "I'm pretty sure you wouldn't understand."  
  
Me? Not understand? Phaw! Besides I really needed to know what was bothering her so she would be the cheery Katie I know that likes to put Stink Pellets in Harry's locker. It kind of hurt that she thought the only thing I cared about was Quidditch. I just needed to know...  
  
"Cause you know you can tell me...." I said almost whispering, hoping she would soften up.  
  
She frowned a bit looking thoughtful. When she uncrossed her arms I thought she was going to tell me something, but she just said "That's nice of you, thanks." then she added in what might have been a whisper, "I guess."  
  
I leaned back against the lockers and said "Anytime." I wrinkled my nose thinking that I want her to know that she could tell me stuff if she wanted, "Seriously," I said as an after thought.  
  
Then she shot up off the bench unexpectedly and said quickly, "I'm going to go back up to the tower now."  
  
I stood up too. Maybe she really was crazy. "Me too," I said just as fast and I picked up my duffle and Katie was already leaving, not waiting for me. I trotted up next to her, trying to keep up with her. "Now about your broom technique..." I started.  
  
She groaned and crossed her arms looking straight ahead. As I went on I noticed a bit of a smirk pulling at the corners of her lips, which by the way were not layered in lipstick.  
  
We got to the tower and she started up the stair to the girls dorm. "Night, Kates," I called out after her. I wasn't quite sure where I had gotten that from...But, it sounded very familiar.  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Hey, drop me review if you like! Don't you just love him?!?!?!


	2. She Hates Me

A/N: this is a little long, but yeah. deal with it. Have fun and drop a review!  
  
I walked up to my room, trying to figure out why "Kates" sounded so familiar. I opened the dorm room and Thomas looked up at me from his Arithmancy Level 4 book.  
  
He yawned and at the same time "Al - (yawn) right?"  
  
I nodded, "Alright. You?"  
  
He flipped a page in the book, "We've got a chapter test tomorow, have you studied?"  
  
I totally forgot that Professor Vector had assigned a test! I slapped myself in the head, "Dammit! No I haven't!"  
  
I opened my trunk and pulled out the Arithmancy book. As I read the chapter, I found it extremely difficult to concentrate. When I can't figure something out, it bothers me for a long time. I couldn't figure out where I had gotten "Kates" from.  
  
I tried reading, but the words were just bouncing in and out of my head.  
  
David Lawson stomped into the room and threw a notebook on his bed. "I can't do this stupid spell!" he said.  
  
"Which? I asked, looking up from a difficult number chart.  
  
"I don't know! For the Transfiguration practical we have tomorrow!" He exclaimed.  
  
"Practical?!" I practically shouted. "Crap! I forgot about that!"  
  
Thomas said, "It's just one spell, it rhymes so it should be easy to remember."  
  
However the spell was long and I was already finding it hard to concentrate. I decided to study Arithmancy and leave the spell to memorize during lunch before the practical.  
  
Next morning in the common room, I glanced last minute at my Arithmancy notes before walking with Tom and Dave.  
  
As I turned left, Tom was turning right. He asked, "Um, Oliver where do you think your going?"  
  
"Arithmancy, of course," I said.  
  
Dave piped up, "We have Transfiguration first and Arithmancy second."  
  
That, to me, meant that I would have no time to memorize the spell for the practical I was about to take!  
  
A practical usually consists of students lining up and demonstrating transfiguration skills for McGonagall. I stood almost at the end of the line, hoping to learn the spell from the other students by repetition, before it was my turn.  
  
Tom kept saying the lines to me, in attempt to help me.  
  
"What was it again?" I whispered.  
  
"Just pay attention, Wood" he told me.  
  
I looked up and the example table had changed into a neat wardrobe.  
  
"Well, done, Miss Bell. Top marks," said McGonagall her thin lips slightly smiling in approval.  
  
Katie Bell turned around and high fived with Alicia, smiling happily. McGonagall stepped up to Alicia who was next in line.  
  
"Miss Spinnet?" McGonagall said when it was Alicia's turn. But, Katie interrupted.  
  
"Can't I keep it?" she asked in a little girl's voice.  
  
McGonagall took off her glasses like she was about to say something profound. "No," she said simply.  
  
Katie frowned and stepped back into the line. I could tell that, unlike Katie, I would not be receiving top marks.  
  
When it was my turn I struggled through the spell, and it had not completely worked. The table I was made to change into a wardrobe still had legs sticking out of its back.  
  
Alicia and Katie snickered at me as McGonagall told me the importance of word order and pronunciation. Katie probably now thought that I am just some dumb jock.  
  
Class finally finished and it was time for lunch, and I walked to the Great Hall with Tom and Dave.  
  
"Word order, Mr. Wood, this is Transfiguration 7! I thought you would have learned the importance of pronunciation in your very first Charms class! I'm ashamed to be your head of House!" Dave said, imitating Professor McGonagall. She wasn't that harsh on me, but I still found it extremely funny.  
  
"Nice one," I said.  
  
"We'll be around in a moment," Tom said, looking over my shoulder.  
  
"Where are you two off to?" I asked them.  
  
"To talk to Abigail-" said Dave.  
  
"And Lorena!" finished Tom.  
  
Abigail and Lorena were Ravenclaw girls that Dave and Tom stalked everyday. I found Dave waiting outside the girls lavatory, 'reading' a book (which happened to be upside down) waiting for Abigail, one day.  
  
"How different," I said sarcastically to them. "Go have fun."  
  
They clapped me on the back and left as I proceeded to the Great Hall. As I turned the corner I was shoved by Marcus Flint. "Don't walk so slow, Wood. I'm needed somewhere."  
  
"On your bike!" I muttered after him. He heard me and turned around and gave me the finger, and then turned another corner.  
  
From where I was, I could hear Flint's stupid voice say, "Looking good, Bell!"  
  
I stopped to listen. "More than I can say for you!" was the snotty response I heard from what had to be Katie Bell. It seems to me that she is everywhere nowadays.  
  
I peeked around the corner to see Marcus Flint take a step toward Katie. "Ooooh, fiesty, I like that in a girl." I always want to hit Flint, but I really wanted to take him and beat him at the moment for hitting on Katie. Not sure why.  
  
"Sod off, you git!" she said. All I could think was 'Nice one Katie! Way to shut him down!"  
  
Flint drew himself up again and said, "Don't mind if I do..." He walked away and nudged Katie a little bit.  
  
As Flint came back around the corner, I pointed and laughed at him. "What're you looking at?!" he said, and continued walking.  
  
When I looked back, Katie was staring at me questioningly. I shrugged and she sighed, frustrated, and headed into the Great Hall.  
  
Before I entered, Harry who was now almost as tall as I, stopped me. "Can you PLEASE hold a non-mandatory practice tonight?" he asked me.  
  
I almost laughed. "WHY would I do that?"  
  
"Because the season hasn't even started and I can't come...I'm doing something," he said.  
  
I sighed. "Saving the world again?"  
  
Harry gave me an appalled look and I said, "Just Joking! Fine, non- mandatory. But, this is the only time!"  
  
Harry nodded and ran off to catch up with Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.  
  
As I entered the Great Hall, I thought to myself that I could hangout with Alisa tonight, if I wanted to. Ha! Right!  
  
I walked up to the team, minus Harry, who was sitting at the end of the table. "Alright guys..." I started, but was interrupted by-  
  
"AAAaargh," from the team. It didn't phase me, though, I was used to the team thinking I was obsessed with Quidditch.  
  
Katie rolled her eyes and slid off of Georges lap. I couldn't help it, I grinned at her. But I recomposed myself. "Practice isn't mandatory tonight. I'll give you guys a break."  
  
Fred and George high fived each other and Alicia. They were all obviously happy.  
  
Katie's eyebrows rose in surprise, but she was obviously not happy with my decision. She always felt there was room for improvement in Quidditch. She was the model athlete, in my opinion.  
  
Fred and George clapped me on the back as they got up from the table. Katie was still sitting at the table staring at me in disbelief. She hates me. Oh joy.  
  
Me, being an over achieving, but completely brainless student had a nice Arithmancy test to take. It was fairly easy, seeing as I crammed the whole night.  
  
I was feeling right knackered before dinner and decided to go to the Hospital Wing to see if Madame Pomfrey had anything for a normal headache.  
  
When I got there, Madame Pomfrey was tending to a girl lying on a bed. She turned around. "Ah, Mr. Wood. Can I help you?"  
  
"Got anything for a headache?"  
  
She nodded and gave me a bit of a pink potion. "You ought to sit down until it settles," she said and pointed to a chair next to the inhabited bed.  
  
I sat down and looked at the girl in the bed. It was Katie! This was getting ridiculous, why was Katie always where I was heading?  
  
She did look very sweet as she was sleeping with a pack of ice on the side of her head. "What happened to her?" I asked.  
  
"Shhhh!" Madam Pomfrey hissed. "She's just dozed off! Don't you wake her!"  
  
"Sorry," I whispered looking at Katie as she sighed deeply in her sleep, hoping that she was dreaming of me. I mean...dreaming of Quidditch.  
  
"Anyway, someone slipped her Charms partner a fake wand, then after she got hit she came in speaking nonsense about Alisa Roumeur and someone," Madam Pomfrey said mixing another potion.  
  
I frowned, thinking. Why would Katie be talking about Alisa? Was she jealous? Surprising myself again, I hoped so.  
  
Madam Pomfrey went on, "I sympathize though, you're expected to talk nonsense when a fake wand is used on you!"  
  
Well, I thought, that rules out jealousy. I looked back to Katie, who sighed again. I couldn't figure out when she turned so pretty, with her long eyelashes and her full lips. Maybe George and Fred were right, I was too wrapped up in Alisa (who thought I was her personal [love] slave) to really take notice. "Is she dreaming?" I asked Madam Pomfrey.  
  
She shook her head "No, she's not. When she wakes up, she isn't even going to know that she fell asleep. So, I suggest you leave before she wakes up and sees you sitting there."  
  
I got up and walked to the door. I turned around and looked at Katie sleeping peacefully one last time. I wondered if I ever would get to see her sleep again, up close like that. Or just ever. I left the room thinking I probably would not.  
  
I told Alisa that I needed to go to the library to do some extra work, when I really just needed to think. When I got to the library, I opened the door to find Hermione Granger about to scream at Ron Weasley. Well, I thought, there goes that plan.  
  
So I decided to go back and find Alisa. She wasn't anywhere I looked, but I wasn't looking that hard.  
  
I really needed some thinking time, because I couldn't figure out why images of Katie in yesterday's Potions class, and images of her sleeping kept invading my mind.  
  
Fine! I'm attracted to her! So what? I'm normal!  
  
But I have a girlfriend. Who I love. Right?  
  
I couldn't find Alisa, but I plastered on a smile as I walked into the Great Hall. I sat down with Tom and Dave and Percy. Dave talked about Abigail and Tom talked about Lorena. Percy didn't talk about Penelope. In fact he didn't talk at all, not even about his duties.  
  
I looked down the table and saw Katie who was looking at me questioningly. She turned and looked at the door to the Great Hall and frowned. Did she know I was there while she was sleeping? No, she couldn't have.  
  
I finished my food and walked out of the Great Hall, thinking about whether I should go to practice, pondering where Alisa was, and trying desperately to push any image of Katie with her hair down in ringlets out of my mind.   
  
"Oliver!" A voice cried out from behind me. It was Percy Weasley, the older, and a bit more mature, brother of Fred and George. He was running towards me, nearly sprinting, and he looked flushed.   
  
"What's wrong Percy?" I asked, feeling vaguely panicked. "Don't say Quidditch has been cancelled again!"  
  
Percy looked at me as if to say, 'is that all you think about?' But he shook his head. "Oliver, it's about Alisa."  
  
I felt my heart contract. How I felt that, I had no idea, it just felt like a giant fist had closed right over it. "What's wrong?" I asked.  
  
Percy sighed. "I saw her today. She was.well.fooling around with a seventh year Ravenclaw during break today. I meant to tell you sooner.but I couldn't."  
  
I was experiencing more things in my mind and body than I ever thought possible. My stomach felt like the bottom had dropped out and my insides were squirming. My heart had stopped beating, my lungs collapsed and my knees had been transfigured to water. Or at least that's what it felt like. I was upset and extremely angry "What?" I whispered, trying to remain calm.  
  
"I'm sorry." Percy said, putting a hand on my shoulder, and shaking me slightly to pull me out of the ravine of deep thought I had landed in. "I wish this was easier."  
  
"So do I." I said in a surprisingly steady voice.  
  
How could she do that to me? I practically hate her and never dumped on her! Nevertheless did I ever cheat on her! As a girlfriend, she was supposed to stay true to me!  
  
That's it, I thought. It's over.  
  
I found Brain McMillan, a Hufflepuff seventh year and told him that it was important that I talk to Alisa right away.  
  
I waited for Alisa outside of her common room. She came out and hugged me. I hugged her back, letting my chin rest on her shoulder, frowning. If Percy was right, then this would be our last hug.  
  
She pulled back and said, "Now, Ollie, what's so important that you need to talk about?" She was holding my hands.  
  
"Lissy [I know, don't start taunting me now], where were you during Arithmancy?" I asked, taking my hands out of hers.  
  
"Lady's room, remember? I told you, Ollie?" she said flirtingly.  
  
"Are you lying?" I asked her, I could feel myself becoming angry.  
  
She gasped and stepped back. "Am I lying? What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"Percy saw you fooling with a Ravenclaw," I said steadily.  
  
She gasped again and the color escaped her face, leaving her cover-up tan and stupid on her white face.  
  
"Do you deny it?"  
  
"Yes!" she said. "Ollie, I'm in love with YOU! I would never cheat on you. It makes me sick to think you would even think that!"  
  
I started to believe her and thought how I would kill Percy later. But then I realized that Percy would never lie. It just wasn't in his nature.  
  
By now, Alisa had started sobbing quietly, sniffling loudly.  
  
"Lissy, does Percy Weasley, two years prefect and Head Boy, lie?" I asked.  
  
She looked at me like I was crazy. "Of course he doesn't! [sniffle] Why are you asking me?"  
  
"He saw you with Ravenclaw boy. He TOLD me he did," I said firmly.  
  
"Oh my gosh," Alisa whispered. "I'm so sorry Oliver..."  
  
I cleared my throat and clasped my hands together behind my back. "So, it's true then..."  
  
She started sobbing louder and her mascara ran black down her cheeks. "I'll never do it again! I'm so sorry!"  
  
"You're right," I said. "It won't happen ever again. Because it's over between us."  
  
"Ollie..." she whimpered.  
  
My anger boiled over. "DON'T CALL ME THAT!"  
  
"I'm sorry..." she said again.  
  
"Not yet, you're not. It is obvious that this is not going to work out, I've been standing in your way of being with Ravenclaw boy."  
  
Now Alisa, disheveled, stepped back to the entrance to her common room. "[sniffle, sniffle] Goodbye," she said. "Ollie."  
  
Alisa disappeared and I was left standing outside the common room entrance. I couldn't tell if I was happy it was over or not, but I needed to think.  
  
Seeing as no one would be at practice tonight, I would have the Quidditch field to myself. I put my Quidditch robes on slowly, trying to recall our break-up. I took my broom out to the field for a little flying, to hopefully clear my mind. Except for someone was already there.  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
And we can all guess who, right? Hope you! Remember to REVIEW!


	3. Nonmandatory Practice

A/N: Hey dudes, and dudettes.or just dudettes, lol. Thank you guys so much for all the reviews! I feel so loved, so loved.ANYWHO. Here's chapter 3.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.or am J.K. Rowling and do not claim to be her.  
I stood there watching her fly in and out of the goal posts, thinking that it was completely odd that she happened to be where ever I was headed, and got there before me.  
  
She had a red quaffle. She was throwing it through one of those three hoops, rather lazily, looking bored.  
  
I thought of how things always seemed to be changing, but Katie always wanted to play Quidditch, and I could depend on that.  
  
I felt rather bold, knowing that it would be easy to block her lazily thrown shots. I waited for the right moment to surprise her. When she went to retrieve the Quaffle and was about to take another shot, I sped up to the hoop and as she threw the Quaffle, I blocked it, and flew off with it.  
  
"Oliver Wood?" I heard Katie call out, when I looked back at her, her jaw dropped and looked completely surprised. Mission accomplished.  
  
I nearly laughed. "If there was one thing that I could count on for always staying true, it would be you," I said with a nod.  
  
Her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"  
  
That wasn't what I meant to say! So, I tried revising my statement, except for I said it uneven and stupidly. "Er...I mean you...your love of Quidditch, and the fact that I know you'll always be like that, right?"  
  
Katie squinted and looked completely confused. "Oh! Oh...Yeah, that..." She started biting her lower lip, possibly thinking that what I had just said didn't make much sense either.  
  
Hoping to distract from thinking I was a complete idiot, I decided to talk about Quidditch again. Nothing to talk about? Talk about Quidditch. You just can't go wrong. "I thought I'd give everyone a break before I really start cracking down on them."  
  
She nodded, shrugging. I continued to say, "But not you. I knew you'd be out here."  
  
It was true, too. In the back of my mind I knew she would be.  
  
Her eyebrows rose as she looked at the ground below. "You knew, uh? Yeah, well..." she trailed off.  
  
Who else would give up a night of relaxing to go out and have a practice? I couldn't think of anyone but me and Katie. Possibly Harry, but he was the reason the practice wasn't mandatory. Just Katie and I are crazy enough to waste time flying around. "Yeah...you and I are a lot alike."  
  
Katie made a "tutting" sound before going on to say, "I don't think so! I mean...we're like opposites. Like...I dunno! You're a good student, and I'm not! You have all this natural talent and...well I don't. Truthfully, I don't really think that's fair. I have to work twice as hard as you, to be as good as you are."  
  
I was completely taken aback. I had absolutely no idea that's what she thought of me. Wasn't she the one who just got top marks on a Transfiguration practical, and isn't she ten times as good a Chaser then I could ever try to be?  
  
I said to a frowning Katie, "What! You're a really great chaser, Kates. You can't see that?"  
  
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, before biting her lip. It was then that I remembered where I had gotten 'Kates' from. I used to call her that when we were younger. We used to be pretty good friends, actually. Wonder what happened.  
  
She started descending towards the ground. "No..." she said quietly.  
  
She slid off her broom, as I did the same. "Trust me, I wouldn't let you stay on the team if I didn't think you were," I said almost laughing. It was true and not just some compliment I could throw around. One of the Weasleys was always fooling around, and if they had been one person I'm sure they would have been suspended from the team, but I couldn't tell Fred from George most practices. But, Katie was always serious.  
  
"Why aren't you with Alisa?" she asked me. That's another thing that never changed about Katie, she hated talking about herself. "I mean, no one's here, I thought you'd be hanging around with her?"  
  
Right, that. She kind of cheated on me, I wanted to say. My jaw fell open, and I raised my eyebrows restraining myself from saying it. "Uh...well...we broke up today..."  
  
Katie exclaimed, wide eyed, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to impose-"  
  
She had nothing to be sorry about. "No! It's O.K. Percy saw her with someone else, and he told me." I explained, unnerved. "Then I told her that I wasn't going to stand in her way of being with that dud, if she really wanted to be with him."  
  
"So, it doesn't bother you much then?" she asked, almost surprised.  
  
"Nah, she wasn't what I needed right now," I said looking her straight in her brown eyes. "Would have distracted me from the team, and the team is what's important to me."  
  
"Oh, yeah...its our last year, Oliver. I want that Cup!" she said determinedly."I know you do."  
  
"Merlin, you have no idea..." I almost laughed. I have never wanted anything so badly in my life, and having it taken out of my reach two years in a row just made me even more determined to get it... "So, tomorrow I give the Speech. Whadda ya think I should say, Kates? I really want to make them want it as much as we do." There I go calling her Kates again.  
  
"That's why your the Captain, oh great one," she said sarcastically. Yet, another thing that didn't change about her. Sarcasm. The funny sarcasm that made me smile.  
  
She smiled back. It was the first genuine one I had seen from her, that was exclusively for me, in a long time. It was very welcome.  
  
"C'm on, Bell!" I whined, trying to be sarcastic, too. "A little help here?"  
  
"Oh no, sir. Captain knows best," she went on, walking off the field toward the locker rooms.  
  
"You're a funny kid, you know that?" I said, remembering when we were kids. But, Katie wasn't a kid anymore. She was quite the woman now. Not that I was looking...  
  
"So they tell me." she answered, laughing, not turning around as she walked at a brisk pace.  
  
I had to laugh again. I missed all this! I missed..well...her. "Kates..." I laughed under my breath.  
  
Katie started opening her locker and rummaging through it. Being bold I wanted to tell her that I missed her and that we should try being friends again.  
  
So I stood right behind her, put a hand on the locker next to hers and whispered into her ear, "Kates?"  
  
She stood up straight and turned around quickly, her eyes were wide as she looked up at me. We were standing a little too close, as she turned she was right up against me. I looked down into her eyes, and my eyes traveled down to her lips, which she started biting at that moment. I didn't know what I was thinking in that moment, but I wanted to kiss her.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked weakly.  
  
I swallowed hard. I forgot what I was going to say! "I...er..." I started, I was about to say 'like you'. "nothing..." I said at the last second and backed away. I might have even been blushing. Guys aren't supposed to blush!  
  
I quickly turned to my locker and opened it, throwing things clumsily into my duffle while thinking. 'Wood, get a grip! You almost kissed Katie Bell!'  
  
"OK," I heard her mutter, but I was too busy listening to the voices in my head.  
  
I picked up my duffle bag and said, as fast I could, "See you tomorrow" and got out of the locker room as fast as possible.  
  
As I walked alone through the corridor, I couldn't think of a time when I felt more stupid than I did now. Not even the time when I was eleven and I tripped off the Hogwarts Express had compared to this. That was how I met Katie in the first place. She extended a hand to me, and when I was standing she said, "Watch your step, duck foot"  
  
This is stupid! This ridiculous! How can I be thinking about Katie when I just broke up with my girlfriend not even an hour ago?  
  
"Argh!" I yelled into the empty corridor, and slapped my forehead with an open palm.  
  
I yelled the password at the Fat Lady who said "no need to be demanding!" and swung forward on her hinges.  
  
I walked into the common room feeling hot from anger, and my jog up to the seventh floor. Alicia, Angelina, Fred and George were involved in a four way game of Gobstones.   
  
"Hey, Oliver," Alicia said brightly. "How was practice?"   
  
I just freaked. "I don't want to talk about it ok?!" I yelled, making a second year yelp.  
  
I rushed up to my dorm and threw myself onto my bed. I rolled on to my back and supported my head in my hands and stared at the ceiling frowning.  
  
Why did I have to go and be a jerk like that to Alicia? Why couldn't I just tell Katie that I missed her? How did I let it get so bad, so fast? And why the heck did Katie have to be the way she was?  
  
I felt like I was sinking. How am I going to deal with Katie tomorrow at practice?  
  
Since I failed at trying to push the sinking feeling out of my body, I decided to ignore it, and hope for better tomorrow.  
  
I'll just calmly tell her what I wanted to tell her tonight. We should be friends again. She'll never suspect a thing, right?  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Hey, people. Hope you like this one, I'll be updating the Katie POV soon. Later  
  
PS- a review!


	4. Slip Up Number 1

A/N: Hey guys, I know I should be writing the Katie POV, but at the moment I am highly inspired to write this one. I hope that's ok.  
  
Disclaimer: I am no JK Rowling. ahahaa....I wish.  
I didn't sleep particularly well that night. Just a million thoughts kept bouncing around in my head, about nothing and everything at the same time.  
  
It must have been the ninety-ninth time that I had tossed to my other side that night when I heard Tom pull back his on of his four posters. "Ol? Are you alright?"  
  
"Fine," I said and pulled back one of my posters.  
  
"I heard what happened with Alisa. That's rotten luck, you know," he said running one hand through his hair.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, it is," I said.  
  
"Are you thinking about it or something?" he asked. "Because your awfully loud tossing about over there."  
  
"Oh, sorry. Well, yeah, I guess I am. That and I'm thinking of what to say to the team tomorrow."  
  
"Right then. Goo-ood night," he yawned and pulled back the poster back up.  
  
Soon after that I fell asleep. When I woke up, I got dressed and went to breakfast with Dave and Tom. When I looked up and down the table I noticed that Katie was not there. But it was Saturday, she'd probably be sleeping in?  
  
But, I did see Alisa. She was sitting over at the Hufflepuff table, surrounded by her friends who were petting her like she was a dog, and it looked like they were trying to spoon feed her using the 'choo-choo train' method. She was very sullen faced and didn't look up at them. For a second, I felt sorry for her. She was a wreck.  
  
I felt sorry for her because, up until the weeks before we broke up, Alisa had been a friend of mine, besides being my girlfriend. She can be very bitchy, and she is a lying cheat, but she still was my friend.  
  
I sat in the common room some during that day. Katie didn't come down. I went to lunch and Katie wasn't there, but Alicia was.  
  
So, I asked her, "Have you seen Katie?"  
  
She smiled brightly and said, "Why, yes I have!"  
  
"Well, where is she?"  
  
She rose one eyebrow mischeviously and said, "Why...?"  
  
I gave her a confused look, "nothing. Just curious."  
  
She scoffed at me. "Sure."  
  
I couldn't help the feeling that Katie told Alicia about whatever happened last night. I'm still not sure what it was.  
  
A few seconds passed and I turned to Alicia and said, "I'm sorry for yelling at you last night."  
  
She patted me on my shoulder, with the same mischevious look and said, "That's ok. I understand. I understand more than you know."  
  
I looked at her, "What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Nothing," she said smiling and got up from the table and trapsed away.  
  
I decided to play it 'cool' with Katie, and pretend like nothing happened. So, when it was almost 4:30 I walked into the empty locker room and paced it, thinking and rethinking what I was going to say to the team, when I stepped on a glove.  
  
Why must my team be so irresponsible when it comes to putting things away? Honestly, equipment care is so vital to the sport. Expecting it to be Fred's or George's I put it down in my bag to ask whose it was later.  
  
Fred and George came in first, followed by Angelina. Alicia came in and gave me that odd misterious look and sat down.  
  
I went to get the stray glove and when I came back Katie was sitting Angelina and Alicia. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alicia whispering something to Katie, who ignored her.  
  
I stood up tall and strode into the locker room, like I had seen Snape do so many times in Potions. I didn't look over to Katie, rather I eyed Fred and George, ready to ask them if they wanted their glove back.  
  
"First order of business," I said. "Who does this glove belong to?"  
  
I looked at George, who looked at Fred, who looked at Angelina, who looked at Katie, who raised her hand.  
  
I sighed heavily, acting as if I was frustrated and tossed her the glove. I saw Alicia nudge Katie in this ribs and Katie shot her a look.  
  
Thankfully, Harry walked in and ended all this nonsense, leaving me to my speech. "This is our last chance - my last chance - to win the Quidditch Cup. I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it. Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world - injuries - then the tournament getting called off last year..." I trailed off and accidentally looked in Katie's eyes. I swallowed hard and continued. "But we also know we've also got the best - ruddy - team - in - the - school," I said, punching my fist into the palm of my other hand, meaning every single word as I said it. "We've got three superb Chasers," I said pointing at Angelina, Katie and Alicia. "We've got two unbeatable Beaters-"  
  
"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George together, pretending to blush. I ignored them and went on.  
  
"-And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" I looked at Harry, or rather glared at him, and he glared right back at me.  
  
I quickly calculated in my head that that had only been six players that I mentioned. Oh yeah, I thought. "And me."  
  
"We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George.  
  
"Spanking good Keeper," said Fred.  
  
"The point is," I went on, resuming my pacing. "The Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing...."  
  
I wanted the Cup so badly, and I guess my speech was getting the point across because even Fred and George were looking sympathetic.  
  
"Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred.  
  
"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.  
  
"Definitely," said Harry.  
  
With that, George, Fred, Harry and Angelina got up and started walking to the Quidditch Stadium where would be practicing. While they all left the locker room, it was my time to talk to Katie.  
  
"Katie?" I asked. Either she didn't hear me or she was ignoring me, staring at her hands.  
  
Alicia nudged her in her side and Katie whipped her head up to face Alicia. "Ow! Alicia, what the hell was that for?"  
  
"Someone is trying to get your attention!" Alicia said.  
  
She was glaring at Alicia until I tried again. "Kates?"  
  
"Yeah?" she said.  
  
"Can I talk to you? Privately?" I asked her. She frowned slightly but stood up anyway and followed me  
  
We walked out to the edge of pitch in silence. When I thought that we had walked far enough away from people I stopped walking, bowed my head, held my hands behind my back, and cleared my throat. "Katie, I've been doing some thinking."  
  
"Last night," I said, and her eyebrows shot up. "Me and you....You and I, rather..." I tried rephrasing, but then decided to get to the point. "We were talking....like we used to."  
  
Katie let out a sigh and looked relieved. I continued "It was nice, Kates. It was like we were second years again. I was thinking, what happened? We used to be great friends."  
  
As I waited for an answer, Katie looked up to me. I watched as her eyes traveled down my face, then up to my eyes again. She breathed hard, and crossed her arms. "People change, Oliver...I guess we just changed."  
  
"Well, yeah you don't look like a little girl anymore," I stopped in terror at what I had just blurted out. I tried to rephrase, once again. I wasn't trying say 'yeah! Now you're a cracking piece of female specimen!' I said, "I mean. Yeah...I noticed that...you don't look like a little girl anymore, not the one I used to know, at least."  
  
"You aren't the little boy I used to know either," she said and cocked her head to the side, looking up at me. But, her answer didn't satisfy me.  
  
I shook my head. "No, Kates, that's not it. I changed. I mean...we act differently to each other now. But when you're with Fred and George you are just like I remembered you."  
  
"Eloquently put." she said sarcastically, grinning.  
  
"Like that! Right there! You were always so sarcastic, but it was funny! I guess I realized that I missed you?" I said bracing myself, in case she was going to hit my or something.  
  
"How could you have time to miss me? I mean you had Alisa..."  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, too. She would get pissed whenever I said anything about you," I explained. But I meant to say 'Quidditch', not 'you', but I went on anyway hoping she didn't pick up on my mistake. "I guess I treated you pretty badly, eh?"  
  
She grinned up and me and punched me lightly on my shoulder. "No, Wood, don't worry about it."  
  
"Good, I'm glad I got that off of my mind," I said, thoroughly relieved. Also highly relieved that I got through the conversation without mentioning anything awkward about last night. We walked back to retrieve our brooms in silence, Katie looking at her feet as we walked.  
  
Right before I walked into the locker room, I felt a tugging at the back of my robes, and I turned around to face Katie, who suddenly looked pensive and bothered, but still pretty cute. "Oliver?" she said.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Was our little run-in an accident, last night? Did you want that to happen?" she whispered.  
  
Uh-oh, I thought. Crap, crap, crap. "What run-in?" I asked panicked.  
  
"I'm pretty sure you know what I mean. Did you mean for that to happen?"  
  
"Er..." I said, thinking for the right words to say.  
  
She took a step closer to me and looked me straight in the eye and whispered, "Oliver, did you mean to almost kiss me?"  
  
She caught me! I bit my lip, looking at the ground thinking of what I should say to her. Last night, in that moment I wanted to kiss her, and in that moment I almost said that I like her. But I wasn't positive if that was what I wanted.  
  
Katie looked startled when I looked up at her. I huffed. "Maybe," I said feeling defeated.  
  
When I saw her jaw drop, I turned around and walked into the empty locker room. She followed me. "Maybe, Oliver?"  
  
"Yes, maybe."  
  
She sounded frustrated, "What am I supposed to do with that?"  
  
I turned to her, frowning a bit and said, "Whatever you want, Katie. Let's not talk for a while." Why? Why did I have to say that for?  
  
She really looked hurt as she said, "Oliver, you just said you missed talking to me. Now you're taking that all back?"  
  
"No," I said flatly. I do miss you, Kates.  
  
"Then what do you mean?" she asked sounding both hurt and frustrated.  
  
In that moment, I think I hated myself for being such a jerk. Let me just be honest for once! "OK, yes, something DID happen last night. I'm not sure what it was. I need to think about it."  
  
"So you want some time to think about it?" she said, still frustrated.  
  
I muttered "...Yeah, I guess." Thinking that I had just made an ass out of myself.  
  
"Fine, talk to me when you want," she said forcefully, picking up her duffle and walked out. And in the middle of practice!  
  
I walked out to the pitch and only Fred and George were still there.  
  
"Where is everyone?" I asked, confused.  
  
"Practice is over, Oliver." said George.  
  
"You spent too much time talking to Katie" said Fred, catching a bludger. Then he wrestled it into the chest of balls.  
  
I sighed. "Yeah, well, I doubt that that's going to be a problem anymore..."  
  
"Huh?" said Fred from the ground.  
  
"Nothing," I said. "She hates me, is all."  
  
"So what else is new?" said George.  
  
I walked back up to the common room, leaving Fred and George in charge of cleaning up. When I walked into the common room, Katie was standing with her duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She was talking to Alicia, but when Alicia looked over at the portrait hole when I came in, Katie also turned to look at me.  
  
Alicia waved me over, but I hesitated seeing Katie. I decided to say hey to Alicia anyway. As I walked to Alicia, Katie walked away.  
  
I stood staring after her as she was climbing the girls dorm stairs until Alicia said, "So, are you going to Hogsmeade next weekend?"  
  
"Reckon so. How about you?"  
  
"Yup," she said. "~Katie~ and I are going."  
  
Suddenly, I felt like I was sinking again.  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Resources :Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, pages 143-144, 'The Flight of the Fat Lady"  
  
Hey, Hey! Um...I won't update this one until I update Katie, ok? Sorry, but I was just feeling "Ollie Inspired"


	5. Now Everybody Knows

Needless to say, things between Katie and I were a little awkward. I didn't really need to think about whether or not I liked her when I saw her walking in my direction. Her hair was half up, and tied back. She stared blankly at me as we passed. She looked so simple, and yet so pretty at the same time.  
  
I liked her and I didn't know how to act around her. I had said a bunch of stupid things to her lately and wasn't about to stop.  
  
Like I said, I didn't know how to act around her. She was fooling about with Fred and George during practice and I wanted her to pay attention so I blurted out, "Focus Bell! Where is your head?" As soon as I said it, I knew that had been a stupid idea. The team silenced and we all watched Katie turn pink. It was from anger with me, embarassment, or both. She didn't really talk to me for the rest of the week.  
  
I went to Hogsmeade with Brian McMillan from Hufflepuff, Tom and Dave. We sat down in Honeydukes.  
  
"Hufflepuff is in last place! I bet they don't have house points at Eton," said Brian. "You know, Ernie and I were almost sent there."  
  
As Tom picked through his Berty Bott's Beans, he grinned, "Well maybe. But Eton is an all boys school! I'm sure they don't have girls."  
  
"Hmmm...girls," said Brian, smiling. "Girls, girls, girls..."  
  
"Who are you interested in?" I asked him.  
  
"Ahhh...fine, fine," he said. "Do you know who Julianna Burke is?"  
  
"Yeah, she's cute," I said grinning.  
  
"That she is, so what about you?"  
  
"What about me, what?"  
  
"Who are you interested in?" Brian asked. I felt my ears turning red. I shook my head.  
  
"C'mon, tell us," they all said.  
  
I cleared my throat. "Er, um...Katie Bell," I said.  
  
Brian's eyebrows rose. "Nice pick."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.  
  
"She's a pretty girl,"  
  
"Yeah..." I said. I knew they were going to badger me about her, so I stood up. "Hey guys, I'll catch up with you later."  
  
Dave laughed. "What? Going to have a snog with Katie?"  
  
"Sod off!" I said and walked out of Honeydukes.  
  
Although the idea of kissing Katie was rather appealing I was so sure that right about now she would knee me in my delicate parts. That wouldn't be a pretty picture.  
  
Great, now they are all going to bother me about Katie. Especially Fred and George, who happened to come trotting up to me at that moment.  
  
"Oi, Oliver. Have you seen Katie anywhere?" said one of them.  
  
"No," I said.  
  
"Nowhere?" said the other one.  
  
"Nowhere," I said.  
  
"Positive?"  
  
"Positive!"  
  
"Do you like her?"  
  
"What?" I said. How could they tell?  
  
"C'mon, you've been staring after her every practice now."  
  
I breathed hard and said, "Do I know where she is? No! I don't know! I don't CARE either! Don't think that I DO, because I DON'T!"  
  
Now they were both grinning maliciously at me. Fred clapped George's back. "Come on, let's go find Katie."  
  
"Yeah, obviously Oliver doesn't know or care where she is," said Fred. Then they both broke out laughing and ran off.  
  
I was going to have to do something about Katie, what, I didn't know.  
  
I refound the boys and we sat down in the Great Hall ours later for the Halloween Feast. As always there was almost no real food there. Bowls of candy from Honeydukes, chocolate broom sticks (how clever!), sugar quills and the traditional, but out of place bushel of apples. Apples that weren't even candied, nontheless.  
  
Tom and Dave and I had been contamplating why the apples were there when I heard a loud giggle, I looked down the table and Katie was shaking with laughter and was now aiming her spoon, full with a Pepper Imp at Karina, her room mate. She continued to be loud and cheerful through the whole feast. I felt very left out, what was just so funny?  
  
When I was full with candy and apples, not candied apples, we walked back to the portrait hole, a few paces behind Alicia, Percy and Katie. When we got there, noone was going in. "What's the hold up?" I muttered to Dave, who shrugged, clueless.  
  
Percy fought his way through the crowd. "Let me through, please. What's the hold up here? You can't all have forgotten the password - excuse me, I'm Head Boy -" An eery silence fell through the corridor. The Fat Lady's portrait had been slashed, and little bits were on the ground in front of it. In a sharp voice, Percy ordered, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."  
  
A moment later, Dumbledore swept into the corridor and students squished against each other to let him through. As looked at the ruined painting, he said, "We need to find her. Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."  
  
"You'll be lucky," said a familiar cackling voice. It was Peeves.  
  
"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly.  
  
Peeves frowned a bit. "Ashamed your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between trees. Crying something dreadful." Then he said happily, "Poor thing."  
  
"Did she say who did it?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"Oh yes, Professorhead. He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see. Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."  
  
Sirius Black was in the castle? The idea did give me somewhat of a start. He was the mass murderer that even muggles had been looking out for. How, how could he get into the castle?  
  
All the school houses were sent back into the Great Hall, where the food had disappeared from the tables. Dumbledore began to speak. "The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle. I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who smiled widely at his recognition. "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..."  
  
Dumbledore waved his wand and the tables slid across the floors until they were up against the wall, another wave of his wand and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags. "Sleep well," he said and he turned and left with the teachers following behind him.  
  
I felt extremely safe now that Percy was in charge of all of us. Yeah right! I'm sure that if Sirius Black just popped into the Great Hall that Percy could deal with him single-handely, er, rather, single wandedly. Of course, I would jump up and help him out and save the day. That's just the kind of guy I am.  
  
I picked up a sleeping bag and lied it down next to Dave and Tom. We were situated yards away from where Alicia and Katie were laying.  
  
Katie fell asleep rather quickly and seeing my chance to see her sleep again, I inched my way over to wear I wouldn't have to look over people to see her.  
  
Her hair fell into her face, and she smiled as she slept. I watched her for what felt like forever until I just dropped off and fell asleep, too.  
  
I woke up early, and when I picked my sleeping bag up to fold it and put it away, I could have sworn that Katie mumbled, "Oliver."  
  
But I convinced myself that it was just wishful thinking.  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Resources : Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling. Copyright 1999, pgs. 151, 159, 160, 161 'The Flight of the Fat Lady', pgs. 162, 163 'Grim Defeat'  
  
Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, nor am I looking to make money off of her success. I am just merely a fan who is a little overly obsessed.  
Sorry to cut it short!!!!!!!!  
  
Have fun and review!


	6. Flint's Evil Plan of Sabotage

So they didn't find Sirius Black, AND I had to sleep on the cold, hard floor of the Great Hall. They might as well have let us sleep in our dorms because Percy didn't find and kill Black like he promised. Well he didn't actually...  
  
I was up in the common room when Katie and Alicia. Katie just walked passed me and sat somewhere on the other side of the room.  
  
"Mornin', Oliver," she said and sat down on the couch, too.  
  
"Have a good sleep?"  
  
"Oh, yes. I loved sleeping on the floor in my clothes. And your little visit in the middle of the night," she said, smiling.  
  
"What visit?" I asked.  
  
"I saw you. You were practically sleeping next to Katie," she said, almost laughing.  
  
I could feel my ears turning red. Why am I so obvious?  
  
"Er...uh...I-" I said, desperately trying to cover up my obviousness.  
  
"Like her," she finished for me.  
  
"Shoot," I sighed.  
  
Alicia giggled. Funny how girls are always doing that.  
  
"Am I that frikin' obvious?" I asked, quietly.  
  
"Oh no, no, no..." she said, really sarcastically.  
  
"Shoot..." I said again. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"  
  
Alicia shrugged, "Well, if I were you, I wouldn't talk to her for a while."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"She's still pissed at your rude little outburst from last week," she said folding her hands in her lap, and putting her feet up on the coffee table.  
  
"Great. Oh, how peachy," I said.  
  
"She'll come around in time," she said, soothingly.  
  
I looked up to Alicia. "How do you know?"  
  
"How do I not know? We're only best friends..."  
  
"Right, how could I forget," I said.  
  
"I don't need your attitude. I suggest you do something about it before trying to even look at Katie," she said firmly, stood up, and walked away.  
  
I swore to myself a couple more times, and went up to my dorm.  
  
A few more days of stealing glances of Katie during lunch, dinner and practices without saying anything to her passed. I sat in the common room, trying to get some work done before practice, when Professor McGonagall came into the common room and asked to talk to me.  
  
"Wood, a moment, please?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, Professor?"  
  
"Due to the recent break in of Sirius Black, security needs to be heightened for the protection of Mr. Potter."  
  
"Security, Professor?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, er...I'm not permitted to tell you why, but Madame Hooch is to oversee your training sessions. I hope this does not produce a problem," she said stiffly.  
  
"Oh, no Professor. That's fine."  
  
"Very well then, Wood. Good day," she said and quickly left the common room.  
  
At practice Madam Hooch, sat in the stands under a big black umbrella, watching us.  
  
"Crrrap!" exclaimed Katie when the wet Quaffle slipped through her hands because it was raining.  
  
"Language, Ms. Bell!" barked Madam Hooch. "One point from Gryffindor."  
  
Katie flew past me muttering "Crap, crap, crap..." under her breath so Madam Hooch couldn't hear her.  
  
The weather worsened as our first match grew nearer. Before our last training session for Saturday's match, Marcus Flint found me in the hall.  
  
I scowled at him. "What do ya want, Flint?"  
  
"Just to wish you luck tomorrow, captain to captain, on tomorrow's match against Hufflepuff," he sneered.  
  
Luck? Right! Hufflepuff? "Excuse me? It's my team versus yours, Flint."  
  
Flint grinned maliciously. "I'm afraid we are going to have to wait to beat Gryffindor. We aren't playing you."  
  
"What?" I barked. "Why the bloody hell not?"  
  
With relish, Flint said, "Our Seeker's arm is still injured. He's in no fit state to play...Damn hippogriff."  
  
"I don't blame the hippogriff! What about a reserve Seeker?"  
  
"Oh, he has the flu. It's a pity, really. I was looking forward to playing in this weather."  
  
"You're a bloody coward, I hope you know that Flint, a bloody coward."  
  
I strode away from him. Hufflepuff? We've been practicing self defense thinking it was Slytherin, and now it's Hufflepuff. No time to train for a match against Hufflepuff!  
  
I was late to the locker room, and came in to find everyone sitting on benches and leaning against walls.  
  
I was near seething. Marcus Flint is trying to sabotage me (again!)"We're not playing Slytherin! Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."  
  
"WHY?", they all asked.  
  
"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," I said through gritted teeth. But I decided to stop gritting my teeth, because it started to hurt. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances..."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm! He's faking it!" said Harry furiously.  
  
"I know that, but we can't prove it. And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory-"  
  
Katie started giggling when I said 'Cedric Diggory.' Angelina and Alicia joined in the laughter.  
  
"What?" I asked, frowning.  
  
Angelina said, "He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?"  
  
"Strong and silent..." said Katie, clasping her hands together and grinning. She and the girls began giggling again.  
  
Right. I'll show you strong and silent. What, just what is so special about Cedric Diggory?  
  
"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred. "I don't know why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?"  
  
"We were playing in completely different conditions! Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We musn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!"  
  
"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Slytherin very seriously. Seriously."  
  
I watched the practice, making myself very nervous about the match. Honestly, it seemed that Katie was the only one taking me seriously. But that bit of giggling about Cedric Diggory sat at the back of my head. I could be silent, too, ya know.  
  
I didn't sleep well at all. The rumbling of thunder didn't help much either. Next morning at breakfast, I wouldn't sit down. I paced with my hands behind my back and couldn't eat anything. "It's going to be a tough one," I said, as more thunder rumbled.  
  
Alicia said soothingly, "Stop worrying, Oliver, we don't mind a bit of rain."  
  
It was a lot more than a bit. It was like the whole world was being pounded by Victoria Falls. The team looked at me expectantly, waiting for my usual pre-game pep talk, but I couldn't do it. My throat had turned dry, and I made an odd gulping noise, shook my head hopelessly and motioned for the team to follow me. I was trying to tell the team by mental telepathy, 'We gotta win! We gotta win! We gotta win!"  
  
We staggered sideways as we walked out on to the pitch, the wind was so strong. I walked to the center of the field and shook hands with Cedric Diggory. He tried smiling at me, but I couldn't smile back. My nerves had shut down in my face and I wasn't really in the smiling mood, either.  
  
It was terrible. With the rain, wind, and thunder I couldn't even hear Lee Jordan's commentary. But, I'm not so sure I'd want to hear what he was saying. The rain quickly soaked through my robes and I had started shivering. There was no way of telling how long we had been out there, but all I knew was that Harry had to catch the snitch soon or we would all die of hypothermia while still on our broomsticks.  
  
I took my chances and flew to Madam Hooch. "Time out!" I yelled over the rain, and she blew her whistle.  
  
The rest of the team landed in spashes. I called over the rain, "I called for a time out! Come on, under here-"  
  
As we stood underneath a large umbrella, Harry kept trying to wipe his glasses on his robes. "What's the score?" he asked.  
  
"We're fifty points up, but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night," I said. I could see Katie, behind Harry, biting her lip with her head leaned to the side, and looking at me. Her ponytail was dripping and some stray strands of hair stuck to her cheek.  
  
"I've got no chance with these on!" said Harry exasperatedly, waving his glasses.  
  
At the very moment, Harry's friend, Hermione Granger showed up at his shoulder. She was holding her cloak over her head and was actually smiling. "I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!"  
  
He handed them to her, and she tapped his glasses with her wand and said "Impervius! There! They'll repel water!"  
  
I could have kissed this short girl with unruly, bushy hair. "Brilliant!" I said as she skipped away.  
  
We got onto our brooms again and resumed our play. The rains were so heavy that I could barely see across the pitch to the Hufflepuff Keeper.  
  
I saw Harry and Diggory racing each other, and I knew that the game would be over soon.  
  
Suddenly, the stadium grew eerily quiet. It was as though the winds had stopped, but they hadn't and the rain had stopped falling, but it hadn't. I grew even colder than I already was. It was the familiar feeling of depression I had felt on the train when the....dementors-  
  
I looked down, and a whole lot of hooded figures were facing up at us.  
  
Harry slowed down as Diggory kept speeding along. Harry stopped and stared down at the dementors. It was as though he was paralyzed, or he had given up on chasing the Snitch! He gasped and slipped off of his broom. When the wind took the broom and Harry was falling, I knew that was it. Diggory passed by me. Snitch in hand.  
  
Harry was now on the ground, and Cedric looked back and saw Harry in a puddle, surrounded by dementors. They were backing away because Dumbledore was shooting white stuff at them.  
  
I flew to the ground and landed next to Diggory. "But I didn't see him fall from his broom! It's not a fair match if we weren't BOTH on our brooms! I demand a rematch!" He was yelling.  
  
I appreciated his trys for a rematch but when Madam Hooch said, "I'm sorry Mr. Diggory, there is nothing in the rule books about this type of situation. You win the match. Even Mr. Wood agrees, knowing all there is to know about Quidditch, don't you, Mr. Wood."  
  
It was true. They had won. Fair. I nodded and walked off, past Harry who was magicked on to a stretcher.  
  
Why? Why? Why? WHY did Harry have to fall off of his broom? Why did the dementors have to invade the pitch?  
  
I couldn't go visit Harry with the rest of the team. No, I found the idea of drowning myself, while getting clean at the same time. If I saw Harry, I don't know what I'd do, but it wouldn't be anything healthy. So, I decided to give myself time to cool down before visiting him.  
  
I went up to the common room, and everyone scrambled out of my way as I headed for the couch. It was good, too, because was in no state of mind to deal with anyone who was going to bother me about the match. Why did he have to fall off his broom?  
  
I sprawled out on the couch and stared at the ceiling for a minute, before closing my eyes. I kept saying "why, why, why..."  
  
I heard the portrait hole open and I opened one eye to see Katie come into the room. I reclosed my eyes again, thinking she wouldn't want to talk to me now. I heard her coming up to the couch. I opened my eyes and she was trying to cut between the couch and the coffee table. I put a foot up on the coffee table, so she couldn't pass. I didn't really care whether or not she didn't want to talk to me, I just wanted her there. "Sit down, Kates," I said. She hesitated for a moment, but sat on the couch a foot or so away from me. "I can't believe it! We lost..." I mumbled.  
  
"Yeah...and it sucks," she agreed.  
  
I looked at her and grinned. She really was a site for sore eyes. She had on black jimjamish pants, and a little red jumper. She was looking at me in a way I had never seen her look at me. It made me hopeful. "We can still win, Kates. It's not over yet."  
  
She shifted on the couch and lay down on her side, with her head on my lap. I was completely surprised. Katie was *lying* on me. Er, practically, anyway. I played with her hair that was sprawled out behind her.  
  
I took her hand that had been lying on her waist. I held her small wrist with one and and laced her fingers with mine in the other hand. It was really weird, as it seemed like her hand fit mine.  
  
It was a beautiful hand, and it only seemed right to kiss it.  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
Resources: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, copyright 1999, Arthur A. Levine Book, Scholastic Press. pgs. 168-169,175- 181 'Grim Defeat'  
  
Disclaimer: I am no J.K. Rowling and I am not aiming to make money off of this.  
  
A/N: I'm REALLY sorry about the wait. My mom wouldn't let me stay on as long as I wanted and she's going to be more strict about my 'internet' time.so the waits may be a little longer now. And I am not DESPERATE for reviews!! You totally misunderstood me! Anyway. hope you enjoy.****


	7. Brrr, It's Cold in Here

I kissed her hand, once, twice, three times. Then I made a game out of it. I spelled my name with kisses. O - L - I - V - E - R. She didn't seem to object, so I spelled Q -U - I - D - D - I - T - C -H.  
  
Soon enough Katie took her head off my lap, and stood. And then I just realized just how extremely close Katie had been to...certain parts of me.   
  
Katie helped me stand up. "Dinner," she said.  
  
And something 'risky' was going on down there. Crap, not now! Not NOW! Think of something, I told myself. "Uh..." I started.  
  
She turned around again and took my hand and tried pulling me along after her. But I was too scared that...it would show! I kept my feet planted, still thinking of a reason not to go down to dinner.  
  
"Honestly, what's the problem?" she asked.  
  
"I...er...nothing," I said. Why did I have to say 'nothing?' I better think of something or risk years of embaressment! Need to get to a shower!  
  
"Then come on," she pried.  
  
Bingo! "I..er..left something in the locker room!" I said, hoping she couldn't hear how panicked I really was.  
  
"Ok...want me to come with--"  
  
"NO!" I shouted. How stupid am I? Katie gave me one of those looks. "Um..er...I mean, that's OK....you go and eat something. I won't be long."  
  
Katie rolled her eyes, "Yes, Captain."  
  
I smirked shortly. She just came off so innocent. How sexy. No! I must not think this.  
  
She turned to go to the portrait hole, and I glanced downwards to make sure....nothing was...showing. She turned around once more, and I straightened up as not to draw any attention to any one place. "You. Are. So. Odd!"  
  
After Katie left I decided it would be better to take care of this problem before it got really bad. I snuck down the halls, taking short cuts and avoiding any place where people were.  
  
I got into the locker room, finally. I threw my shoes and socks off, tore my shirt over my head, and pulled off my dungarees.   
  
Down went the boxers. Nice job, Katie, I thought. I wrapped the towel around myself and walked into the boys shower hall.  
  
Turned the water on, and let the cold water wash over me. Damn, it was cold!!! Very cold! Go back to normal, it's too cold!   
  
When I was done, I shut the showers off and some feeling came back into my toes from standing in such cold water.  
  
I wrapped the towel around myself, when I heard a creaky door. "What the ---" I said, walking out of the showel hall. I heard the door shut and when I got to the teamroom, holding the towel over me securely, noone was there.  
  
I shrugged it off, thinking it was one of those girls who had nothing better to do than worship me. I am just too good-looking, right? Thought so.  
  
I got dressed thinking to myself. When did Katie become trouble? I would have to be really, really careful now.  
  
If I had...let Katie come down to the locker room for my shower, what then? I shook my naughty thought off remembering that those are the kind of things that cause 'problems' like these.  
  
Mental note: practice self control  
  
I ran a towe, over my head to get the water out and went up to the feast where everyone was still eating. Except Katie.  
  
"Hullo," I said and sat with Fred and Alicia. Angelina and George were furiously insulting each other, and yet they were both grinning widely.  
  
"What d'you reckon that was in the common room, Oliver?" said Fred.  
  
I remained calm, "nothing."  
  
Alicia looked up. "What was what, Fred?"  
  
Before I could stop him saying anything, Fred said, "Oliver was kissing Katie."  
  
Alicia's jaw dropped. She stared at me.  
  
I waved it off saying, "On her hand!!!"  
  
Alicia frowned, "Fred, you wound me up!"  
  
Fred retorted, "What'd you expect from me?"  
  
"Nothing less," I said.  
  
Alicia looked at me, "Well, where is she?"  
  
I shrugged. "I dunno."  
  
"She went to the locker room, to get her broom. She said she wanted to repair after today's brutal game."  
  
I sighed. The pain of loosing was still there. "We ought to visit Harry tomorrow, d'you reckon?"  
  
Alicia nodded, "Good idea. Hey, I'm gonna look for Katie in the locker room. See you all later."  
  
I looked up at her. "She's not IN the locker room, I was just there...." But they really didn't need to know just why.  
  
"Alright then, Oliver..." she said. "I'll look in the tower."  
  
She walked off.   
  
"You frothy-mouthed, beetle-headed, foot-licker!" Angelina exclaimed to George.  
  
George answered, "Saucy, clay-brained wench!"  
  
Beyond him, my American room mate Jimmy, joined in. "Yo mama's so stupid, she fell up the stairs!!!" He continued laughing at himself as we all stared at him, completely speechless.  
  
Angelina turned back to George. She rolled her eyes and cleared her throat, "Mhm!...Well, there goes that..."  
  
"You don't get it?!" asked Jimmy. "Here, let me explain..."  
  
"We get it!" said Angelina and George at the same time, and looked, smiling at each other.  
  
Jimmy and his American humor. He has proved to me that is entirely possible to have a conversation consisting of the words "Dude, whoa and yo."  
  
I stood up to leave. "Jimbo," I said. I suppose the Americanisms have rubbed off on me. "You coming up soon?"  
  
"Yeah!" Jimmy said and stuffed a dinner roll in his mouth. He stood up and started talking through the crumbs. We left the Great Hall. "Tahg-hay.."he mummered and continued chewing with his mouth open.  
  
"What?" I asked. "I can't understand you."  
  
Jimmy held up his index finger telling me to wait for him to swallow. I waited a long time, we were already walking up the Grand Staircase. "Tough game, I said."  
  
I shoved my hands into my jeans pockets. "Yeah...Don't even get me started."  
  
"No prob, Bob," he said.  
  
"Bob?"  
  
"Nevermind."  
  
We proceded through the common room where Katie was not there. Maybe she turned in early.  
  
Up in the dorm, Tom and Dave were there.  
  
"Let's comtamplate this," said Tom to Dave. "What does it mean when they say ''no?'"  
  
Dave rolled his eyes. "That's easy. It means 'yes', of course. What do you think, Oliver?"  
  
I pulled my shirt off an pulled a baggy t-shirt on. "Think of what?"  
  
"When a girl says 'no', what's it mean?"  
  
"Well I'm think that 'no' means 'no'. But, that's just a guess,"I said.  
  
Tom gave me a disgusted look. "Of course it doesn't!"  
  
"What is this pertaining to anyhow?" I asked.  
  
"The games that girls play," said Jimmy. "The ones where they string you along until you go crazy. Or need a cold shower."  
  
"I second that!" said Dave.  
  
"Funny you should mention that..." I said.  
  
"What?" said Tom.  
  
"The very last thing Jimmy said."  
  
"Ha! Cold showers?" asked Dave.  
  
"That," I said laughing.   
  
Jimmy stood up, "You? Sportin' wood, Wood?"  
  
"Sod you!" I said.  
  
"Can I shake your hand?" he said walking over to me. "Wait, maybe not," he said pulling his hand back.  
  
"Was it Katie?" asked Dave.  
  
"Yeah, that makes for very uncomfortable Quidditch practices..."  
  
"If I were you, I'd ignore that bit. That's what pretty girls do to weak bloke's like us. And if you're brave enough to deal with Katie Bell, I'd say go for it," said Tom.  
  
I thought for a second. Why not just try? I mean, there was nothing to lose. It's not like I had her in the first place. "Heck, why not?" I said, agreeing with him. One thing is for sure, self control is a must.  
  
Jimmy laughed, "And maybe next time, she'll be joining you in that shower."


	8. The Damaged Ego

Chapter 8

The guys and I talked until we all just fell asleep gradually. I hate a very pleasant dream concerning Katie. But I won't go into it because it might be considered a little naughty.

I woke up and went to breakfast. Pancakes and sausages. I didn't see Katie there. 

Because I had no classes or anything on Sundays, I went for a run around the pitch. Several girls were spying on me! Why? Why can't I have privacy? What did I do to deserve a pack of third and fourth years following me around the grounds?

One catcalled at me. "Ow-OW!"

I ignored them and went into the locker room to change my clothes. 

When I left the locker room, the pack of girls was in the hall. They all started giggling at me. Why?

"Why must you follow me like this?" I asked them.

"Cause we love you, Ollie!" one of them said.

"I want to have your baby!" shouted someone in the back of the pack.

I rolled my eyes and walked away. Yes, everyone in the school knows who I am. I am the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, but I don't see why that's a reason for little girls to stalk me. I actually started getting used to girls falling all over me and having to peel them off. It's a weird world. I'm telling you.

I went to lunch in the Great Hall to see the whole team except for Harry and Katie sitting there.

I sat down and said, "Let's go check up on Harry now, should we?"

"Yeah," said Fred. "Ready when you are."

I looked around one more time for Katie. "Er…um…Katie isn't here…" I said.

Alicia picked her head up. "Oh right! She's still sleeping!"

"D'you mind waking her up?" asked George.

"No, I'll be right down with her," said Alicia and rushed off in the direction of the Grand Staircase.

So, Angelina, Fred, George and I sat up in the common room waiting for Katie and Alicia to come down.

While waiting, George was trying to balance his wand in his palm. It looked fun so I tried doing it too. It was fun, but I was really bad at it.

Alicia came bounding down the stairs and Katie came down right after her. Katie was wearing some jeans, and navy blue sweatshirt. It said 'How can I miss you if you won't go away?' It really fit her personality. Her hair was pulled up into some kind of knot at the back of her head and a stray piece fell, framing her face. 

Despite her being tired, and her arms were hidden, crossed in the sweatshirt, she still looked cute. And I smiled at her.

She nodded, but didn't smile back. But then again, she was probably still very tired.

The group walked to the infirmary, me leading, of course. Harry was already sitting up and he looked pretty good for someone who almost died.

I, gentleman that I am, held the door for everyone as they walked in. Katie was the last one in. Her arms were still crossed and she was looking at the ground as she passed me. Was she ignoring me? Everyone else said 'thanks' for holding the door.

I closed the door and went to stand in front of Harry. And by chance, next to Katie. I looked to Katie, but she stared straight ahead at Harry. 

"Harry, I don't blame you for the loss, you know," I said, trying to sound convincing, but in the back of my head I kept asking myself why he couldn't just stay on for just a little longer??

"Thanks, Wood," he said, scratching his head.

We stayed for a while, and I kept glancing at Katie, hoping that she would look up at me. But no such luck. She didn't even spare me so much as a glance.

For the rest of the day, I sat filling out applications to Quidditch Reserves. Puddlemere United was at the top of my list. I thought I had the best chance since they would be replacing their Keeper soon, and they would take the one they had as a reserve and put him in the starting lineup. Then they would need a new reserve, and they would absolutely have to choose me.

I stationed myself for a clear view of Katie, just incase she happened to look up for a moment. She did and quickly looked back to my applications, hoping she didn't think I was spying on her.

She ignored me for two days, or what came off as being ignored. I couldn't understand it. Why wasn't she falling victim to my charms? Everyone else does!

"You're suffering from a bruised ego," said Jimmy as we were walking to Arithmancy.

"A bruised what?"

"To her, your just another guy. But your not, right? So it bothers you that she isn't a squealing little school girl when it comes to you. And it fills you with a desire to find out why," said Jimmy smartly.

"Wow, you actually sounded smart for a second there," I said.

"But I'm right, ain't I?" he asked.

"I like her because she bruised my ego?"

"Sure, the one girl that you actually want to fall all over you isn't. It's really bothering you, isn't it?" he asked, chucking.

"Yes! Is there something horribly wrong with me?" I asked furiously.

"No, course not. Look at the pack of girls following us right now!" he said, turning around to glance at the four girls walking behind us.

"I'm just going to ask her why she's ignoring me," I said.

"You'll really catch her off guard, there. Sounds like a plan," said Jimmy turning into the classroom.

I just couldn't concentrate in class. I just wanted to find Katie.

Class was finally over and I flew down the seven staircases to the Great Hall. She was thankfully sitting alone. I sat down across from her and just blurted out, "Why are you ignoring me?"

"I'm not," she said, frowning slighty.

If she wasn't, then she plain just doesn't like me. Why do I care? I could have practically any girl in this school, and here I am going after the one I can't have. Pathetic. "You seem distant," I said, hoping for something more.

She looked surprised. Probably thinking why would she seem distant? "No, that's just me," she said. As in, she was just a distant person. It was sarcasm, right? 

So I pretended to laugh a bit. But then I stopped. This was no time for joking. This was a life or death situation here! "I'm serious. You've been avoiding me, Kates."

She froze. Why was the second time I asked more affective in provoking a reaction? Was it because I just outright accused her? "Uh...I ...ahh...well. I just guessed you needed time. To get over the match? Or something." She said, unevenly.  
I gave her a look. One that was disappointed, and nodded my head. I suppose it was a legitimate reason to ignore me. I was rather upset about that loss.

I was going to pry further, but Alicia came up at that moment. Why couldn't she have picked another time?  
"Hey guys. Ravenclaw is playing Hufflepuff. Thought you ought to know, Oliver." she mentioned. 

"Thanks, Alicia." I said. Alicia was still standing when she turned to Katie.  
"Katie, can you help me with some work? I'm a real loon when it comes to Runes," she said.  
Katie gave me a quick smirkish smile and I waved as she got up from the table. There was no use prying if I didn't know what I was going to ask.

So she got up and walked away. Again. I swear she's avoiding me. She said she wasn't but that's just how it feels. I'm being slighted. And my ego is damaged. 

I may be really jumping the gun here, but I think I might actually love her. Is that completely crazy? Maybe.

It's just that whenever she's around me, I just get this feeling. NO, not that feeling. Like my stomach disappears. And I just want to wrap my arms around her.

I groaned inwardly knowing that it just couldn't happen. She was going to drive me insane. Any little lip biting she did was going to make me want to kiss her. Any little innocent, subconscious thing like that…

Harry was allowed to come to practice making us a full team again.

Katie was closing up her duffle and her pony tail swayed playfully at the back of her head. It was just asking to be yanked. So, as a test to see her reaction, I pulled it lightly.

She spun around, predictably. I just had to smile. As she stared into my eyes, she poked my chest with her forefinger. She might as well have been stabbing me, because nothing that I could think of would get me to stop staring into her eyes. 

"Touch the hair, and die," she said.

I smiled again. "OK", I mouthed, not even speaking.

She poked me once again and turned away. I didn't even think of her breaking eye contact. As soon as she did, I felt a little bruise right where she had been poking me. It kinda hurt, but I didn't really want it to go away.

Practice was great, considering it was raining. Alicia was taking shots on me while Katie and Angelina were doing passing drills. 

"DO something, Oliver!" said Alicia.

"What?" I asked, holding the Quaffle. "I'm blocking your shots! What more do you want from me?"

"Don't be dim. You know what I mean," she said and flew right up to me. "You make it quite obvious that you like Katie. So then DO something about it!"

I smirked. "Stop talking and get back to practice!"

"Prat," she muttered and flew off with a Quaffle.

Back in the locker room, I sat on the bench in front of the lockers and took out my Quidditch practice journal.  
From across the room Katie shouted over to me, "I hope you're writing NICE things about me!"  
I looked up and smirked, "Who'd want to write about you?"  
She said very smuggly, "Who wouldn't want to write about me?" She stood in front of a mirror putting her hair up. As she brought her arms above her head, her shirt picked up, exposing and inch or two of her midriff and the black lace panties that peeked out from under her sweatpants.

I smiled knowing now that Katie wore black lace panties.   
"Right," I said, trying to keep up a conversation. "Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tommorow."  
"Don't worry, Ravenclaw is going to flatten Hufflepuff. My girl, Cho, will make sure of that."  
"Your girl?" I asked. Now, there's another thought right there! "Is there something you want to tell me?" I asked with a very suggestive tone, as Katie walked over.  
She rolled her eyes and whacked me upside the head. "No, she's my friend. Get your head out of the wells."  
"Ow!" I pretended to be hurt, hoping she might console me.  
She stood in front of me with her hands on her hips, "Oh, dry up! I barely even tapped you. Don't be a prat."  
I grinned, "If I'm a prat than you must be a...prat-ess."  
"Oh, you are clever, aren't you?" She grinned back, picking up her duffle and starting towards the door. Ok, so maybe what I said made no sense, but I really wanted us to keep talking.  
"Mangy mongral," I said as we walked up to the portrait. It was Sir Cadogan.  
"Stand and fight like a man!" demanded the picture.  
"Oh shut it," I said and climbed through the portrait hole.  
"What, aren't you a man?" asked Katie.  
"More than you know," I said. What a stupid thing to say!   
She rolled her eyes and muttered, loudly, "The mysterious Mr. Wood..." 

Then she ran up the stairs and I watched her as she went out of sight. 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

. LOL. If the spirit moves you, you really ought to review. JK later people. Guys can think fluffy too!

Sign the www.petitiononline.com petition as a GUY! Lol, it's fun.

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling and no copyright infringement is intended here.


	9. Ouch

A/N: A little break from anxiety here! Uh.the war sucks. And everything is a little turbulent here. This chapter's a little short, but I had to write it anyway.  
  
I walked toward the Quidditch pitch for a match, Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff. Sure it was extremely cold, but at least it wasn't raining like a constant waterfall. If we played in this weather against Hufflepuff, I am so positive that Harry would have caught the snitch before the Demenrtors even got there.  
  
Stupid Dementors. Stupid weather. Stupid Katie. Wait - not stupid Katie. Stupid thoughts of Katie.  
  
I'm really going to need to get a grip on myself. We're friends. Right now. Just watch me. I'm going to mess it up.  
  
I would, too. I make a lot of promises that I can't keep. Yes, I'm going to study tonight. Yes, I promise not to antagonize Marcus Flint. Right.  
  
So, I'll just end up crossing the friends line. I'm not sure when, but it will happen. She's going to hate me. I'm kind of afraid of that.  
  
"Ahh, well, here's the Captain of the Noble Gryff's right now!" said Percy as he me climbing the stands toward him and Penelope.  
  
"Ello!" I called.  
  
"Oliver, we were just discussing this year's future winner of the Quidditch cup. Care to join the conversation?" asked Percy, with confidence.  
  
"No. I think I would end up talking your ear off. So I'll just quit while I'm ahead, shall I?" I said, because I knew that Percy and Penelope wouldn't want to listen to me go on and on about Quidditch. "I'll just take a seat over here..."  
  
I went to the end of the row and sat down. Next to Katie.  
  
I looked out at the field casually, and said, "Hello, Katie."  
  
"Wood," She said, staring straight forward. Wood. Wood. Oliver Wood. Pleased to meet you.  
  
"You're allowed to call me Oliver, you know," I said matter-of-factly, still watching the game. Cedric Diggory was smiling at the Ravenclaw seeker.  
  
I thought my leg was leaning on the seat, but it happened to be leaning on Katie's. But she didn't move, so I took this as a good sign.  
  
"Want me to call you Ollie?"  
  
"Nah," I said, thinking of how Alisa used to call me that. Go do this, Ollie. "Brings back some bad memories."  
  
She laughed, lightheartedly, "Ollywood?"  
  
That had I nice ring to it. But, I doubted she would ever use that. So, I nodded with a shrug, "I'll deal..."  
  
I looked at her out the corner of my eyes. She slowly, but very casually, slid her tongue over her top lip. Damn, why did she have to do that for? I'm a weak bloke, according to Jimmy.  
  
And then her eyes turned to me. I was trying not to smile, so the best I did was a smirk.  
  
I turned back to the game. Cedric Diggory was neck and neck with the Ravenclaw Seeker. He was smiling. It was the girls fault, but I can definitely relate to how they can be distracting. She reached out in one swift movement and propelled herself with an extra little kick from her feet and caught the Snitch.  
  
Which means that we are still in the running! I was singing a little chant in my head that only consisted of the word, "YES!"  
  
"Cho Chang's caught the Golden Snitch! She recieve's one hundred and fifty points for Ravenclaw!"  
  
The down on the pitch, Madam Hooch bellows, "Ravenclaw wins!"  
  
I turned to Katie, and without even thinking I kissed her cheek.  
  
"We're in!" I whispered into her ear, then backed away, smiling.  
  
But Katie wasn't smiling. She was staring with her eyebrows raised, and her eyes wide. She was shocked.  
  
Then Alicia's arms flew over Katie, and pulled her into a hug. "We're still in!"  
  
The smile came back on to Katie's face, and the shocked face went away.  
  
Alicia hugged me, then took Katie's hand and they ran down the stands. Katie had her hand in her cheek, when she looked over her shoulder.  
  
Well, looks like crossing the Katie line came sooner than I expected. But it's not like Alicia or Angelina's never kissed me on the cheek. So, what was the big deal? It's not like I grabbed her and snogged her.  
  
It's not a big deal, so I won't make it a big deal. If I did, that would be grounds for some unwanted awkwardness.  
  
And that is basically what I got. At dinner that night, I took a seat next to Dave, and on the other side was Katie.  
  
She barely ate anything. I think I even saw her use a napkin on her face, even where there had been nothing to clean off. I didn't like her perfectness. I'd rather see her eating a sandwhich and a bag of chips rather than chopping up a carrot into thousands of tiny pieces.  
  
Maybe I should say something to her? We were awfully quiet to each other. Too quiet. So I said "Er...pass the potatoes?"  
  
She rolled her eyes and turned to me. "Look Oliver, I think we need to talk."  
  
Great. I could tell where this was going. "Fine," I said.  
  
Again she rolled her eyes, groaned and got up and left the Great Hall. I didn't realize that Katie had meant now!  
  
Great. What am I supposed to say?  
  
I strode into the common room after giving the Fat Lady the password. Katie didn't seem to be there, so I turned around. Katie had been standing against the wall behind me.  
  
Her arms were crossed and she looked a little pissed. "Er...I think I know what this is about," I said.  
  
"Why did you do it, Oliver?" she asked in an innocent tone, with an expectant face.  
  
Right down to business. What am I supposed to say? "Wha...ahh.." I muttered, searching for words. As I looked at the ground, an idea came to me. Come clean. I looked up at her and cocked my head to the side. "Look, I'm not going to pretend that we are friends, OK?"  
  
"OK," Katie started to say.  
  
"Because the fact is...I have feelings for you," I finished.  
  
She glared at me. "What?"  
  
"I like you," I rephrased.  
  
"Why?!" she asked. How am I supposed to know why? I can't control it. I've tried!  
  
"Look, I didn't PLAN on this!" I stated forcefully, glaring right back at her.  
  
"You're LYING!" She exclaimed.  
  
"I'm not!"  
  
"You are!"  
  
She is such a difficult girl. I like you. Period. "I'm putting my foot down! I'm not lying!"  
  
She stomped over to me and stepped on my foot. "Well, I'm putting my foot over yours. You're winding me up!"  
  
Why would I lie about that? It just doesn't make sense. I stopped glaring at her when I realized how she ended up stepping on my foot. I was smirking, despite the situation. She was so funny and didn't even mean to be. I could have kissed her right there, but she backed away, and crossed her arms. "What's so funny?"  
  
"You. Putting your foot over mine." Come on, you have to admit. That's pretty funny.  
  
To my great relief, she grinned. "OK, then. Mind telling me why you have those feelings?"  
  
"That," I said, still smiling.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You make me smile."  
  
"Oh," she said and blushed deeply. "What now?"  
  
That's what I had been asking myself the whole way up here! "I don't know. What do you think?"  
  
She was wide-eyed and, blushing when she suggested, "Let's just go back to the feast then?" and started pushing the hole open.  
  
How can she just walk away like that? We were no where near done talking! So before she stepped through the hole I reached out and grabbed by her shoulders and spun her around to face me. "No, don't go," I told her.  
  
She furrowed her eyebrows, looking up to me, "Why?"  
  
"Because we aren't done here," I said, dragging her further into the room so she wouldn't just leave again.  
  
Violently, she broke out of my hold, saying exasperatedly, "Oliver-"  
  
She wanted me to leave her alone, and I could do that. But first..."Look, I'll leave you alone if you tell me that you don't have feelings for me." It's worth a try, right?  
  
I crossed my arms and bit my lip, expectantly waiting for an answer from her.  
  
She kept opening her mouth like she was going to talk, but stopped and looked at the floor, then she would look up again suddenly and do it all over again.  
  
She finally started speaking. She looked extremely confused. She shrugged. "Um...I..."  
  
This wasn't sounding good. She wasn't smiling. "Don't..." she said.  
  
So I turned around and left. "I...don't..." was ringing in my head as I walked back to the Great Hall.  
  
Ouch.  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Hiiiiiiiii. Byeee. Ps. REVIEW! Lol nah, do what ever you want. 


	10. Life Doesn't Entirely Bite

Maybe it was a little compulsive for me to just walk out of the common room. But, I just didn't want to even have to look at her anymore.

What is wrong with her? Why doesn't she like me? Can't she see how lucky she is? 

I'm not being conceited, I swear. But what's fact is fact and there isn't anything I can do about that. Just what is wrong with me? I'm not terribly ugly and I don't smell bad and I'm convinced that I'm a nice guy.

When she broke her arm last year, when she was just a teammate to me, I visited her in the hospital wing. I was the only one who did, aside from Karina, Tricia, and Alicia. No one else visited her. No one else knew. She didn't cry, or complain so no one knew she was hurt. She just walked up to the hospital wing on her own. I imagine she said something like "Hi, Madam Pomfrey? Could you help me?"

She is very much a non-complainer. Or maybe she is and I don't know her that much. Isn't it odd that I should say that? I've known her since we started here. But, like I said, she changed. 

She's brutally honest. She didn't even try to break it to me gently. But I bet she thought I could handle it. I was trying my best back at dinner not to go insane and stand on the table and scream "What's wrong with me?!"

Up in the dormitory Dave was talking about how Lorena had agreed to go out with him. 

"It all pays off," Dave said smiling.

"Easy for you to say," I muttered.

"Excuse me?" Tom asked loftily. "Did I just hear you correctly? Every girl in this school has had an obsession with you at one time.:

I scoffed. "Not everyone apparently."

"Katie?" asked Percy. I was surprised he wasn't off attending to his duties like usual or being with Penelope.

I gave him a knowing glance, leaning against the bureau. "Yeah. I accidentally kissed her today."

"Kissed her?" asked Jimmy.

"Accidentally?" said Tom.

"On the cheek, just before I knew what I was doing," I explained.

"Then what happened?" pried Percy.

"Awkwardness. Then she said we needed to talk about it and I told her what was on my mind..."

Jimmy cracked a huge smile. "You brave, brave man. So then what happened?"

"I told her that I would leave her alone if she didn't have feelings for me.... Turns out she doesn't," I said, scratching my head.

"Ouch," said Tom.

"Exactly... It feels kinda crappy, you know?"

"Man, that sucks," said Jimmy.

"I guess you could say that," I said. "Well, I'm going to get some sleep. Don't wake me up tomorrow...Don't you dare say anything to Katie. Understand?"

So I lay in my bed, gritting my teeth and glaring at the ceiling. How could I let one girl get into my head like that? 

I didn't sleep very well. I kept having a dream that I was walking down a flight of stairs and I trip and fall, and keep falling. Come on, you know you've had that dream before.

And every bloody time I tried back to sleeping, I'd fall again. So, eventually, I gave up sleeping. 

I clumsily walked in the hall and just as I was going to walk down the stairs I saw Katie talking to Tom in the dormitory. Katie talking to Tom. Crap. I don't feel like dealing with THAT right now, so I turned around quickly and went back into the dormitory.

Ugh. They were blocking the door to leave, and not only that, they were the only ones in the room. And THAT means I would have to speak to her. Even a 'good morning' would be awkward.

How do you say it so it doesn't MEAN anything? Not sounding like 'I'm-just-saying-hi-because-i-am-a-friendly-person-but-this-is-all-very-wierd.' The fact is, you can't!

So, I guess just to be safe, I won't go down to breakfast. No matter, I have my secret stash of Sugar Quills. So maybe they have no nutritional value.

I was on my third Sugar Quill when I heard someone knocking on the door. I wasn't in the greatest of moods so I barked, "What do you want?" assuming it was Dave forgetting his wand again.

Then I hear a gentle, but muffled voice on the other side of the door. "Oliver?"

I almost choked on the Sugar Quill.

"Oliver, it's Katie. Can I come in?" the voice asked.

I kicked the box of Sugar Quills under my bed and tried to tidy up in a millasecond, while trying to get to the door. I opened it, and there stood Katie with her hands held behind her back.

I'm sure that there is some rule restricting girls from being in boys dormitories, but what they don't know can't hurt them. "Umm, yeah, I guess so," I said opening the door wider for her.

She stepped in and looked around the room and at the unmade beds around her. I closed the door. "So, what's up?" I asked, trying to be as un-awkward as possible.

She raised her eyebrows and bowed her head. "I wanted to know why you left me there last night."

Honestly. I squinted, annoyed that she was even asking this. Shaking my head, I said, "I told you that I would leave you alone if you didn't return my feelings. You said you didn't ... so I left." I thought that would have been obvious.

At this point, I actually wanted Katie to leave. Is she going to shove the fact that she has no feelings other then friendship for me in my face? But she grinned sweetly at me. "You didn't let me finish."

"Finish what?"

"What I was going to say."

"Oh, what were you going to say?"

"I was going to say...that I don't know how I feel about you."

"Oh." I just felt stupid. Very idiotic. Well at least, she doesn't not like me for sure. So, I guess that's good. But, I felt impacient when I asked, "When will you know?"

She cracked a smile and giggled a little. "I don't know when I'll know."

"OK," I said. "Sorry for being a jerk about all this." I must a prat... I walked out on her, and now I'm forcing her into a decision.

"You aren't a jerk, Oliver," She said, and punched me ligtly on my chin. Something she would have never done had she hated me. "So, I make you smile?" she asked.

Of course she does! Her mood reflects my mood, and when she smiles, I smile. But she wasn't getting off that easily so I nodded and shrugged, "You have your days..."

She grinned again and sat down on my bed, indian-style. Katie Bell was sitting on my bed. My bed. On. My. Bed. Oh, Gosh. She didn't seem to know that she was torturing me and said, "If you don't mind me asking, when did this all start?"

Trying to keep the thought of having Katie in my bed out of my head, I shrugged again, "I don't know...a couple of weeks ago? Then...I dunno. I just started...well...looking for you wherever I was. Not in a creep stalker way, mind you..." I said. But it was true, I always took note of whether she was at meals and such.

"I'm glad." Glad that I've been looking for you, or glad that I'm not a stalker? Nevermind.

"It was just that whenever I got into the Great Hall, I'd look around to see if you were there. That and you're a lot of fun to talk to...most of the time."

She smiled. "Yeah, I can see why you'd say most of the time...anyway."

I shrugged again, remembering the times when her attitude got her in trouble and how she seemed to loathe my presence. I said, "For a while there, I could have sworn you hated my frickin' guts, Kates."

She let out a laugh and squinted really hard, smirking. Then she looked up at me, all innocent and such and said,"I did."

"Why?"

"Jealousy...mostly," She replied. "Some things about you frustrate me."

"What frustrated you?"

"You are a better flyer than me, a better student. It just seemed like everything just comes so easy to you. I didn't feel like it was fair. You have the whole 'perfection' complex-"

"HA! You're too funny, Kates. Seriously. Me perfect? No. That would be you." I said. But she wasn't perfect, of course. No one is. Certianly not me. It was good she wasn't 'perfect' since prissy girls just don't attract me.

"HA!"

"You're very modest about it, too, I see."

"Everything comes to you easy! You are quite possibly the only other boy in school who has a fan club, besides our Harry. All those girls even come easy to you!"

I laughed, "How old are they? Like four?"

"Try fourteen."

"That's besides the point," I said. I don't want those girls following me around. "Well, I know one thing that doesn't come easy to me..."

"What?" she looked up at me again.

"You." It was true, too.

She glared at me, and muttered, "Oliver..."

"Yes?" I said, taking a step closer to the bed.

"We should...go down to breakfast."

"Yeah..." I muttered. So that was it then, I guess.

But it couldn't have been it. I'm not going to let it end like that.

Katie stood up from the bed, consequently raising her face to mine. She gave me a confused look expecting me to back away. But, all I would have to do is lean in and I could kiss her. Damn, it was too tempting.

I took hold of her arms bringing her closer to me.

"What are you doing?" She whispered, looking up to me. 

"Something I meant to do a while ago..." I convinced myself that to kiss her was what I meant to do that day in the locker room, but I missed the oppurtunity.

Instead of stopping me, or breaking away, she closed her eyes.

I gently met her lips with mine. As soon as I did I felt a tingle travel from my lips, and across my cheeks. I was surprised at the unexpected pressure pushing at my lips and realised that she was kissing me back and now bringing her arms around my neck.

She started pulling away, and I took my arms from around her waist. I put my hands on her shoulders and looked at her to see if she wasn't angry with me and the such.

But, thankfully, she smiled. I pulled her back to me and gave her the best hug I knew how. She burrowed her head into my shoulder and muttered. "You know, if you had done that a while ago, it would've saved us a lot of frustration."

I didn't quite understand what that meant, but assumed whatever it was was funny, and I laughed at the whole situation muttering her name several times.

Then she pulled back, "Now we REALLY should go to breakfast."

"You're probably right..." I conceded.

"I know I'm right." 

Well, that went alot better than I had planned. She might even like me.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

The spaces between parapgraphs are really f-ed up, and I don't know how to fix them…..disclaimer, not mine not mine not mine. Sorry about the wait. Lacross started this week and been really wiped out. I heart you all.


	11. Oh, Wait, Yes it Does

It had been a whole twenty minutes since I plucked up enough courage to kiss Katie, and she wasn't showing any signs that might hint that she had been kissed, save for the fact that she was smiling. But of course she was smiling. We were with Fred and George.

They hadn't been saying anything particularly interesting, but oh well. Fred asked, "Well? Are you coming to Hogsmeade today?"

I had forgotten about that, me being preoccupied and what not, "Oh, that's right! It's the weekend before winter break!"  
  
Katie nodded, "Yeah, I'm going, I guess."  
  
"Me too! I need to buy some new Quidditch gloves."  
  
Then Katie flinched, "Oh! That reminds me! I need to get my Gryffindor gloves!"  
  
"Where are they?" 

"Locker room, I'll only be a minute..." She said as she got up from the table. 

Locker room, perfect room to make sure that Katie wasn't having some memory lapse about this mornings events. So I nodded to Fred and George and followed her.

"You didn't need to come," Katie said when she looked over her shoulder.  
  
I shrugged, "I thought you could use my help."  
  
"Thanks, Ollie," she said smirking  
  
"Ugh. Please don't call me that. I told you BAD memories..." I shuddered. 'Ollie' just lost it's appeal a long time ago.  
  
She let out a laugh at that, smiling widely.  
  
When we got to the doorway, I pushed open the door for her and she walked in. I was leaning up against the locker next to hers as she went through her locker. She held her scarlet and gold gloves up at me. "See? I told you I'd only be a second."  
  
But we, obviously, had some unfinished business to deal with. I started by putting my foot out so she couldn't pass. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you."  
  
She smirked sweetly at me, as if she was taunting me, "OK, Oliver, what is it?"  
  
"You seem to have forgotten that I kissed you this morning?"  
  
She laughed, patting my shoulder, "No, I haven't forgotten..."  
  
"OK, well can we talk about it then?"  
  
"What is there to talk about?" she shrugged.  
  
"You said, that if I had done that a while ago, that I would have saved us a lot of frustration." What does that _mean_ in boys terms? My mind is too filled up with Quidditch terms, I'll admit.  
  
She fake-laughed, which gave me the idea she was a little uneasy. "Oh, that." Maybe she hadn't meant to say anything at all because she _didn't like me.  
  
"Yeah, that," I said. "What did you mean?"  
  
I saw the beginnings of a smile before she leant up against the lockers next to me. "It means that I liked it."  
  
Score one for me! Can Captain Wood do it again? I think so!_

"I'm glad," I smiled. _He sets up to take another shot… _"Because so did I."  
  
_And……It's good!_ I had her up against the locker. I hoped I hadn't hurt her or slammed her head against a locker, as I continued to kiss her. I used my 'skills' to make it a deeper kiss.  
  
I'm convinced we could have gone on…but Katie was…buzzing? No, that's what it felt like when she was trying to speak against my lips.

"Oliver?"  
  
"Yeah?" I murmured back.  
  
"Geroff."  
  
"Uh?" I couldn't quite understand, but it didn't keep me from kissing her.  
  
"Geroff me!" She said, this time obvious she wanted me to stop as she was turning her head to the side.  
  
Why? I'm a wee bit confused here. "What? Why did you stop me?"

But, I could tell I was smirking anyway.  
  
"Oliver, we can't do this..."  
  
".Why not?" Yeah, why not?  
  
"We....I'm not even your girlfriend!" She practically groaned.  
  


I could only see one possible solution to this. I held both of her hands, looking down into her eyes. _He shoots…_

  
Katie sighed. "I can't be your girlfriend, Oliver," she said, snatching her hands away from me and dodged around me like I was a Bludger…_And misses!_

 "How come?" I asked confused. Did you not just let me kiss you?  
  
But all Katie did was shake her head vigorously  
  
"Is there someone else?" If it was Marcus Flint, he would loose the Cup _and _die_.  
  
She shook her head again. "No. It's only you, Oliver. There's no one else..."  
  
If possible, I am even more confused than I was before. The logic of it all. "Forgive me, Kates, but I don't understand. I really like you, and I think you like me, too..."  
  
Again she began shaking her head. But this time she said something unexpected. "I do like you, Oliver! I do, OK? I like you," she said, sounding almost defeated.  
  
_Score! With assist to Katie Bell. _"Finally! Do you know how long I've wanted you to say that?"  
  
"No..."  
  
Neither do I, really. But that's beside the point. "A while...why won't you be my girlfriend?"  
  
"I don't trust myself," she said simply. As simply as she would cast '_alohomora___!' on a door.  
  
Try as I might understand this situation, my efforts proved futile. I don't get it. All I knew was that it wasn't looking good. _

It wasn't like I was in love with her or anything. I don't think. I'd just like to spend some time with her, is that too much that I'm asking for? Maybe a kiss, here or there. Big. Deal.  
  
Looking into Katie's eyes, she seemed…fearful, at best. Fearful of me? I don't understand.  How can she not trust herself?  
  
"_I_ trust you," I said, unconsciously stepping closer to her.  
  
She sighed again, and laid her hands out in front or her. "Look, Oliver. You aren't making this any easier. I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"How can this not hurt, Kates? Can you answer me that? It does!" I don't get it, I don't get it, I don't get it, I don't get it!   
  
"You can't fall in love with me. Promise?"  
  
Well, no kidding? What a crazy notion. "OK.... If you promise not to ignore me and not let it get awkward." That would be the worst thing. If instead of progressing, we _regressed.  
  
"Promise..." she said.  
  
"Fine."  
  
She smiled, but weakly. "Friends?"  
  
She stuck her hand out, and I shook it half-heartedly, "Friends."  
  
I opened the door into the hall and we walked in silence. Was I supposed to do now? Beg?_

I got up to my dormitory, where Dave and Tom were. "Well?" they asked.

"Nothing…"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All Character found in the book obviously do not belong to me!

Well, well, I finished a bit…thought you needed some amusement. JUST KIDDING.


	12. My Brilliant Idea

"What's that supposed to mean, Ol? Nothing?" said Dave, frowning.

"Nothing good, how about that?" I clarified. Oh wait, there was something good. "She said she likes me, but she can't be my girlfriend."

"Why?" asked Tom.

Geeze! Why so many questions? "I don't know!" 

"Girls..." said Dave.

"You still want to go to Hogsmeade, right Oliver?" asked Dave.

"Yeah," I said, grabbing my cloak. "I'm sure as hell not going to stay here."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I left Tom and Dave a Zonko's. Frankly, I was surprised that Fred and George weren't there already. 

So, I went to look for them. I sure needed a laugh or anything. 

And I found them in Honeydukes, having a chuckle - which came as a relief to me. So I sat down in a chair while they were still laughing. 

"What's so funny you two?" I asked.

"Did you- did you see - see -" started Fred, but he began.

"See what?" I asked, smiling.

"The look on -" and he was off laughing again.

I looked questioningly at George, who was patting Fred's back.

"He told Alicia that the cockroach clusters she was eating were almonds or peanuts or something. And she _believed him!" said George smiling broadly._

I could only imagine. "Fred, you idiot! What happened?"

Fred finally managed to speak. "She was so disgusted she had to leave!"

Now I was laughing. That's good. I snatched up a chocolate frog from the batch sitting in the middle of the round table. "Thanks, boys," I said standing up.

"Hey!"

"We had to pay for that!"

I laughed again. "Yes, I know! That's why I said thanks, yeah?"

"Fine," said George. "We'll let you have just one. But I want the card, alright?"

I took the card out, and handed it to George. "Mad Eye Moody! I haven't got this one yet!"

"So anyway," said Fred. "Have you been to that gift shop yet? They've got little models of Quidditch pitches."

"You don't say?" I said.

"Oh, but I do."

"OK, bye!" I said and headed out the door through the swirling snow, as soon as I heard about this Quidditch pitch. I was going to get myself one.

It was so lifelike, it was almost scary. Except... "Why is there kettle corn on the field?" I asked the sales witch.

She just rolled her eyes and said, "Are you buying?"

"Yes, ma'am. Just the pitch today, thanks," I said as politely as possible.

"Do you want to take it home today or shall we send it to you buy owl post?" she asked.

"Owl post, thanks."

"That's going to be five galleons, please," she said. That's equal to fifty knuts.

I took five galleons and gave it to her. "Where shall we mail it?"

"Er...Oliver Wood, Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts..." I stated.

She nodded and said, "Very well, enjoy the rest of your day!" with a fake smile.

"Thanks," I muttered and walked through an isle.

I swear, what I saw next made my heart slam against my rib cage. Katie was standing in front of a display case with rapt attention. Her eyes were staring in amazement at whatever she was looking at, but I was too busy watching Katie. Her jaw hung open just a tiny bit as a smile played at her lips. She put a hand on the window, like a little girl in a pet shop. How can she make me feel like that?

She plunged a scarlet and gold gloved hand into her pocket and frowned at the contents. She glanced at the case on more time before turning around abruptly, running right into me, causing me to loose my balance and knocking me to the floor.

She jumped to her feet quickly and laughed. "Er, sorry about that!"

"No, it's ok. Help me up?"

"Oh sure!" she said and pulled me up with her hands.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"Yeah, fine, you?" she said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Fine. You?"

She smiled, laughing, "You already asked that, Oliver."

Stupid, stupid, _stupid. "Oh, right, oops. What are you looking at?" I asked pointing to the display case, where a bit of gold was flitting around._

Her face lit up, "Oh! This really, really cool model of my broom, except for it's gold and necklace sized!"

"You should get it," I said.

Katie sighed. "I know! I really, really want to, but I don't have enough money."

"Do you want to borrow some?" I asked, going through my pocket when I realized that I had spent all my money on the little Quidditch pitch. I would look so stupid if I told her that I would help pay for it when I had no money left!

"No, it's OK, really," she said, smiling.

"Are you sure?" I asked. Shut _up, Oliver! You have no money!_

She glanced at the necklace again, and shook her head shrugging, "Thanks, but that's ok."

"OK, if you say so..."

Again, she grinned and shrugged, "No, Christmas is around the corner, maybe Santie will bring it for me."

Aha, I remember the days of Santa Claus, leaving him a wish list, "Only if you bake some really good cookies."

"Oh that won't be a problem," she said smartly.

"You bake?"

"When I'm inspired, I bake great double chocolate chip cookies. No magic involved!" she bragged, a broad smile on her gentle features.

"Wow. That's a feat I'd never be able to accomplish." I said laughing. I'm_ horrible_ at brewing potions, imagine me trying to bake cookies?"

She shrugged, and said, "Well, I have to be great at something, don't I?"

This again? All you have to do is talk to her once (when she's in a good mood) to see how great she is. "Kates, you're a superb chaser! You're funny and pretty, too. How many times do I need to tell you that?"

I could tell she was _fighting_ not to just hug me for being so sweet to her as she said, "A billion."

I started speaking without thinking at all, "Look, I know that...nevermind."

"What?" she asked, begging me with those gorgeous brown eyes. "Tell me."

"I was going to ask if you wanted to walk with me to the Three Broomsticks and have a butterbeer." Shut up, Oliver! You _still_ don't have any money!

"Oh!" she smiled. "Yeah. Let me get Alicia."

Ahh. Alicia! Damn it, I thought frowning slightly.

"What? That's OK, isn't it?" she asked with those _eyes._

"Er, yeah. That's fine." I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck, slightly embarrassed that I thought Katie would go with me _alone._

Alicia appeared and we started to leave the store when I realized that I forgot once again that I was lacking in the money department. "Oh, wait...I...er...need to get something. I'll catch up."

So stupid! I spent all of my money on the Quidditch pitch. I ran up to the witch at the front desk. "Actually, I'll need to cancel my order," I said. The Quidditch pitch can wait for now. This money is going to more important things.

"Fine, then sir..." she said looking suspiciously at me.

Then I got a brilliant idea. Buy Katie the necklace! "D'you think I could have one of the mini-nimbus necklaces instead?"

She nodded, and went off and brought back a necklace dangling from her long bony fingers. She cleared her throat. "Shall I put it in a box or would you like to _wear_ it home?"

Wear it home? What the bloody hell? "Box it. _Please."_

She draped it into a jewelry box and handed it to me, saying "That will be two Galleons and five knuts, please."

I pocketed the box and the money and met Katie and Alica standing outside of the store.

I walked next to Katie the whole way thinking of the perfect time to give the necklace to her. When we sat down I took full responsibility with my new found money. "I'm buying. Three tankards, please," I said to Madam Rosemerta.

Katie frowned at me. "Oliver, you needn't do that."

I frowned back. "I wanted to."

Alicia grinned. "Hey, if I don't have to pay it's fine with me! Just don't get tipsy, Katie."

Katie glared at Alicia. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," she said with an air of superiority.

Suddenly confused and interested, I asked, "Do I want to know?"

Alicia shouted "Yes!" at the same time Katie shouted "No!"

This was funny. There was something obviously a little embarrassing in Katie's recent past that Alicia enjoyed tormenting her about. "I don't want to be responsible for a cat fight." I said. Then I added, just to see what Katie would do, "Don't get tipsy, Kates."

Her jaw dropped, shocked. "Oliver, you prat!" she hissed and punched my shoulder.

Was that supposed to hurt? Cause it_ kind of did. "Ow."_

"You deserved it!" said, smiling playfully. I was so unbelievably glad that she wasn't ignoring me. And we were acting well...like friends, right?

Maybe not, because right then Alicia laughed. "Newly weds shouldn't argue!"

I muttered, "We're just friends..." I said, hoping my face wasn't too pink. And if I didn't know better, I'd say that Katie cringed when I said _just friends_.

"Anyway, what are we all doing for the holidays?" Alicia said, ignoring me.

I could feel Katie's soft stare as she said, "I'm going home...doing nothing special."

"I'm spending Christmas with my Grandmother. Formal dinner, whoopie!" Alicia said. What was in the butterbeer? I didn't think it was that strong. "What about you, Oliver?"

"My father is taking me to a Cannon's match, and then I'm going back up north for the holiday." It's easy to get tickets to a Cannon's match, on the account that they always loose.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't sit next to Katie at didn't that night, I didn't want her thinking I was smothering her.

But it was a great relief that she likes me, even if she's got a funny way of showing it.

And just to show that I'm a non-smothering lad, I didn't hound her that whole week.

Well, maybe I was playing a little hard-to-get. So, I spent my time hounding Harry about getting a new broomstick. I let him borrow my copy of Which Broomstick, to help him pick a new broom.

"Nimbus 2001, maybe? Eh, Harry?" I asked him following him up the seventh flight of stairs.

"No," said Harry flatly.

"What? Why not?"

"Malfoy."

And that's entirely understandable, really. He's almost just like Marcus Flint and I.

But this had to do with Quidditch. We walked into the common room and I said. "C'mon Harry this doesn't have to do with Malfoy!"

"To me it does," Harry said and walked off. I dropped my hands to my sides and gave up.

Alicia jumped off the sofa she was standing on and said "Oi, Oliver. What was that all about?"

"Potter doesn't want anything that Draco Malfoy thinks is good."

"You mean his broom? The Nimbus Two Thousand and One?" Alicia asked.

"That would be the one. Brilliant Seeker, but sometimes I wonder where his head is..."

Katie stood up from the sofa she was sitting on, "Cheer up, Oliver. It's the Christmas season!"

"Yeah, that's something to be happy about," I said grinning. And she grinned coyly back at me.

"Come on, now. When we leave tomorrow, how are you getting to your home?"

"Portkey. But I don't see why they don't just let me apparate."

Katie shrugged. "I don't know Oliver, I don't think they want you making an appearance in a ladies loo anytime soon."

Ah! So she had to bring _that_ up, eh? "That was an accident. I suppose a portkey would be just fine."

Alicia stepped in, "I suppose it would," she said. "But for now, how about we have our last feast until the end of vacation?"

"Sounds good," I said stepping back from Katie, and out of Alicia's way.

At the feast, Katie sat across from me and in between Percy and Alicia. 

Ignoring the knight suits singing offensive words, I sat quietly thinking to myself whether I should give Katie the necklace now or not.

The tenth time I looked up at her, we made eye contact and she smiled to me, and I smiled back, though weakly.

Katie looked down at her plate and frowned slightly. The Great Hall emptied when the food disappeared, and the Gryffindors made their way up seven flights of stairs. I was about to walk into the common room when someone tugged my robes. 

"Yeah?" I asked. It was Katie.

She started walking off, and looked over her shoulder at me waiting for me to follow. "Is there something wrong, Oliver?" she asked.

I grinned. So, it seems, she cares about me. "How did you know?"

"I just knew...I guess. I just wanted to make sure you were ok," she said, pouting her soft lips.

"Thanks," I nodded. 

"So...do you want to tell me?" she asked me, looking at me pointedly. Lips _still_ pouted. Oh, sweet Snitches...

"No, maybe later. I'm tired, we should get some rest because we need to leave early tomorrow." I said. Glad I have at least some power over what my mouth says.

"Fine," she said, simply.

I didn't stay in the common room long before going up to the dormitory, because the only thing I wanted to do at the moment was talk to Katie. But stupidly, I forced myself not to.

-------------------------------------

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Stupid Fibula!

Oh and I'm sorry If the spacing comes out all crazy, it's really not my fault.


	13. So Damn Forgetful

Dc: This again? No. Me no own. 

The next day we all woke up early and began packing. Which we should have done _days_ ago. We all piled our cases into the department section of the train and I took a compartment with Tom, Brian MacMillan (Hufflepuff), and Dave.

That is, until Lorena McIntyre dragged Dave out of the compartment after her. Let's just say he wasn't kicking and screaming the whole way.

Brian closed the door. "Lads, he's whipped."

Then Tom made a whipping motion with his hands. 

I laughed, "But, Tom, isn't that the way it is with Abby?"

He glared playingly at me. "Oh yes, and you for Katie!"

"Fine," I said. " and Brian for Julianna."

Brian threw his head back (hitting his head on the wall in the process). "It's agreed then? We are all equally whipped!"

Tom nodded then turned to face me. "You seem a lot happier then you did yesterday where we left you at Zonko's, Ol."

I grinned. "Yes, well...you know."

"You little blighter, you," Tom smiled widely. "Whipped like whip cream."

I just grinned. 

For only God knows how long, we went on to argue about who was the most whipped. Final outcome? David.

We had been laughing about it when there was a knocking at our compartment door. Tom opened the door to reveal Katie standing there, looking a little bothered. "Hey what's up?" he asked.

"Percy having fun with Penelope," she said. And a good reason to be bothered, too! 

"That's sick making!" said Brian, pretending to choke, clutching his throat.

"Ugh, I know. I hadda get away...can I take refuge in here with you guys?" she asked looking hopeful.

Brian and Thomas turned and looked back at me, expectantly. Why was it my decision if she could or not? The United Kingdom is free country! "Of..Of...Of course you can!" I said. Stupidly, I stuttered. Stupid, _stupid, stupid._

"Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" she said desperately. She smiled sitting down next to me

"Where's Alicia?" I asked.

"Still in there with them," Katie said, simply.

Brian pretended to choke again, "You left Alicia with them?!?"

She smiled, giggling. "No! Not really. I'm not that loony..."

Thomas asked, "Then wait, what are you talking about?"

"She's sleeping," Katie said.

"Oh," we all said. Ha! That's _evil, Katie. When Alicia wakes up..._

"That's going to be a bit of a nasty shock when she founds out where you left her!" I said.

She looked like she was in deep thought for a moment, then she said, "I'm hoping they give it a rest before she wakes up..."

Brian rolled his eyes, "We all do, trust me, we all do... Anyways, who is up for a game of 'Never Have I Ever?'"

'Never Have I Ever' is a really fun game. It can get pretty dirty if you send it in that direction. Everyone holds up all of their fingers, and the person whose turn it is says what they never have done, and everyone who has done [whatever] puts a finger down.

"Never have I ever snogged a good friend, of the opposite sex mind you." said Brian when it was his turn.

And the finger goes down. Yes, I snogged a good friend of the opposite sex. And she happens to be sitting right _next to me_. I noticed her putting a finger down as well.

Some moments later "Ahhhhhh!" filled the train. Then quickly it was followed by "Ew! Ew! Ew! My eyes!"

The voice was unmistakably Alicia's. She had woken up to see Percy and Penelope doing _whatever_. Brian was the first to laugh, and I quickly followed suit. The picture painted in my head...

Katie stood up and ran out into the corridor of the train. All we could hear from inside the compartment was high squeaks and the occasional "ew!"

_Evil_, Katie. She pulled Alicia into the compartment with us, and from what I could tell Alicia was wholly scarred.

When the train slowed, Katie helped the still quivering Alicia off while I got my trunk. Percy showed up next to me, reaching for his. "Percy, the Head Boy... I can't believe you!" I taunted in a suggestive manner.

"What?" Percy looked at me alarmed.

"Poor Alicia... I reckon she'll be disturbed for life...waking up to that," I said and grinned maliciously.

Red was now creeping up Percy's ears as he bit his lip and glared. "Can it, Wood."

I grinned. "Happy Holidays, to you, too," I said, patting him on the shoulder and walked off.

I met Tom again. He was holding a folder in his hands, rummaging through it. He pulled out a picture of Abbey and handed me the folder. "How did you get that?" I asked him.

"Oh, I asked Colin Creevey to take a picture of her for me. There's one of Katie in there, too," he said, smiling at the picture.

"Isn't that a little wrong? Walking around and taking pictures of girls without them knowing it?" I asked.

"Well...if you don't _want it, Wood..." he said, taking the folder out of my hands._

"No! Gimme!"

I snatched the folder back and took out picture after picture, looking for the one of Katie. I found it. She was sitting in the History of Magic class, with her cheek to her hand, staring out of the window in the direction of the camera. 

Colin needs new hobby.

I found that my parents weren't there yet, which is good cause I was planning to give Katie the necklace right then. I came across her holding a small child with light brown curly hair on her hip, and smiled.

The little girl picked her head up from it's position on Katie's shoulder and pulled on her ponytail. She pointed to me, and Katie turned around.

"Oliver, meet Lynnea, my little sister," she said walking up to me carrying the little girl. The resemblance was uncanny.

Taking the opportunity to impress Katie with how good I was with children I took little Lynnea's hand and kissed it, "How do you do, fair miss?"

Lynnea shyly buried her head into Katie's shoulder.

"You know Oliver, don't you?" Katie asked.

"He's the Keeper man!" Lynnea said, smiling adorably when she picked her head up.

"That's me!" I said. Katie was _killing me with her smile the whole time._

Katie turned to Lynnea and said in a gentle voice, "Lynnie, do you mind giving Katie and Keeper man a moment?"

She nodded and waved to me before running off.

Katie watched her sister go. "She's cute isn't she?"

"She's a lot like you," I said. "Do you think Alicia is going to be OK from her brush with death?"

She shrugged. "I wonder how you'd feel if you woke up and saw anything...at all. Ugh. I don't even want to think about that."

"Neither do I." The _thought is just wrong. Anyone else __but Percy and Penelope isn't __nearly as bad._

"Katie, we're leaving now!" called a woman's voice.

Bugger. Katie looked as though she was sorry, while saying, "I gotta leave now. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

_Give her the necklace_! But Katie was already opening her arms for a hug. So I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her waist and held her to me. Well, this was nice. She started pulling off, but not before I could kiss her cheek.

Then she kissed me. In a word; wow.

"Happy Christmas!" she said brightly. Indeed Happy Christmas!

Blushing gently at the top of her cheeks, she turned to rejoin with her family.

_Say something_ "Happy Christmas!" I called, when the shock Katie kissing _me wore off slightly._

She turned around, waved to me and disappeared into the crowd. Sunconciously, I moved a hand to my chest where I felt the box that still had Katie's necklace in it.

Weak, Wood. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As soon as my parent's got to King's Cross, we took a 'cab' to a Portkey site and used to to get to Chudley Stadium. 

They lost of course. To the Montrose Magpies. No surprise there.


End file.
